A Port in the Storm
by Acathla
Summary: AU JJ is an actress with a stalker and Emily is the private security guard hired to protect her. There are characters from other shows but since I am changing their circumstances, this isn't really a crossover. More like very special guest stars.
1. Prologue

**AN: Okay, I know that I should be updating my other stories (Senior Year and Road Not Taken mostly) but this story came to me in a dream and it wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. There's plenty more to come but this is as far as I got before my muse fell asleep. Hope Y'all like it! Also, I don't own any of the characters that I am borrowing from any shows. I only own the original characters and the idea.  
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><p><strong>Prologue <strong>

_June 2008 _

_Eddie's Bar & Grille _

_New Orleans, Louisiana_

The bar was crowded and noisy but not so much that conversations were impossible. Jennifer Jareau, world famous actress and star of the TV series _City of Angels_, was sitting at a table with her two best friends in the world, Penelope Garcia and Elle Greenaway.

Jennifer, known to her friends and family as JJ, was in Louisiana filming a TV movie during her hiatus from the show called _Betrayal on the Bayou_. Their first night in town, one of the locals who worked on the lighting crew had told them about Eddie's, claiming it was the best place to get a beer and really great wings. From the first time JJ stepped into the dimly lit, loud bar, she had loved it. Especially when she noticed it had a dart board near the back.

Today was their second time at the bar, and JJ, Garcia and Elle were crowded into the booth enjoying their beers and wings. They were just enjoying themselves and relaxing after the long day's shoot. JJ was the actress, but Garcia was her personal make-up artist and Elle was her hair stylist. They had met in college and became fast friends. There was truly nothing they wouldn't do for each other.

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><p>Across the room, he watched the pretty blonde in the booth, laughing with her friends. This was the second time he'd seen her in the bar. Always with the same two girls, she never talked to any guys, never responded when the occasional guy came up to talk to her. He took that as a good sign. From the moment he'd seen her a few days ago, he'd known that he was destined to meet her.<p>

He had asked around, his connections in town making it easy to find out who she was and why she was in his town. The more he learned the more he wanted her. In his mind, he was forming his plan for approaching her and making his move. He was convinced she'd fall for him with little effort. She _would_ be his.

When he saw her get up from the booth and walk towards him, he straightened out and put on his most charming smile, convinced she was finally going to make a move.

JJ got up from the booth to find the restroom, the coffee from before, combined with the two beers she'd had were conspiring against her. She walked towards the hallway by the bar and soon found her path blocked by a guy who was smiling at her. JJ looked up at the guy and, not seeing anything remarkable about him, she smiled politely and said, **"excuse me, I need to get by."**

The man smiled down at the cute blond and said, **"don't be like that little lady, let me buy you a drink?"**

JJ resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the guy and said, **"no thanks, now please move."** When he still didn't move, she reached out, grabbed his arm and gave him a light but effective shove to the side, then stepped around him through the gap she'd created. She continued on her way to the ladies' room without a backward glance.

He watched her go by him and he kept smiling, still convinced that she was just playing hard to get and that she would be his soon. He didn't see her return to the booth but when he looked over there after a little while, she was sitting with her friends again. He watched her and finished his beer. He'd already had three but they hadn't even given him a buzz, he was used to the effects of alcohol, growing up in the bayou it came with the territory.

After another hour, he watched the three ladies leave the bar and followed them out. He followed them at a distance until they reached one of the hotels near the bar. He stood across the street and watched them enter the hotel. After another fifteen minutes, he saw a light go on in a window on the third floor. He smiled to himself as he recognized the blonde's silhouette cross the window. He knew where her room was now.

After another fifteen minutes, the light went out. He stood on the street watching the darkened window for another hour before he finally began walking away. She would be his, he was sure of it. For now, he could be patient and see if she came to him, but if she didn't, he knew he was going to have to make the first move and he wanted to be ready when that moment came.

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><p><em>Late July 2008<em>

Filming on the TV movie wrapped about a month later and JJ, along with the rest of the cast and the L.A.-based crew left Louisiana for California to return to their regular lives. The film was now in post-production, but JJ and some of the cast had another week scheduled of looping to make sure the dialogue was perfect on the noisier scenes. She didn't mind, she knew it was part of the process.

JJ was sitting on the private plane that the production company had hired to fly the main cast and a few extras back to L.A. She was sitting with Garcia and Elle, whom she insisted must always travel with her, and they were talking about all the things that they'd seen and done in New Orleans while they weren't on set. JJ just sat back and closed her eyes, content to listen to her friends' chatter as she tried to relax. She couldn't wait to get home.

JJ hadn't hated New Orleans she just...she loved California more, specifically her little piece of heaven that was located on half an acre of land in Beverly Hills.

The plane finally took off and soon they were in the air, heading back home.

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><p>The man watched with a heavy heart as the private plane left the Louis Armstrong International Airport. She was on that plane...she was leaving him.<p>

He'd seen her a few times more in Eddie's but he'd never talked to her again. She came in those last few times with the same two women and a new arrival, a guy, who never left her side. He was still convinced that all he needed was a chance and she would see that they belonged together.

He left the airport once the plane disappeared from view. A plan was forming in his mind and he smiled as he realized how easy it would be. He drove home in silence, making his plans and knowing that soon enough, he would be with the woman he loved. Nothing would stop him now.

TBC...

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><p><strong>So<strong> **that's the first chapter...all opinions welcomed and the next two chapters should answer any questions but if they don't, feel free to ask.**


	2. Convincing Jennifer

**AN: Here's the next chapter. Carrie is mine (kinda) because while they mentioned a sister on the show, she killed herself and was never actually named, so I am laying claim to Carrie. And to Alexandra Wright...she's all mine as well. Hotch and JJ never became FBI by the way, thus Hayley was never targeted and killed by Foyet so they are still together and happy. Jessie Sinclair is mine as well. Hehehe...**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 <strong>

_April 2011 _

_JJ's Living room, Beverly Hills, CA_

**"JJ, you need to take this seriously! This guy isn't going to go away and he's dangerous. You need extra security!"** Aaron Hotchner, Hotch to his clients and friends, was trying to convince his favorite client to stop being so stubborn and take her private security more seriously. So far, she had been playing it off as just some weird fan mail.

JJ had a stalker and, according to the experts that Hotch had consulted, he was getting worse, slipping deeper into his obsession with JJ.

JJ looked up at her agent/manager and friend, Hotch from her couch and sighed, **"Hotch, it's not that bad. This guy is just a fan who is taking the show too seriously. He's not a problem. He hasn't made any threats, he's just...not happy with where my character is going, and to be honest, neither am I but there's not much I can do about it."** JJ's character on her show, _City of Angels_, which was now in its fifth season, was finally being given a love interest on the show. After four seasons of her character, Andi Davis, being single and married to the job, the writers were giving her a boyfriend. Normally, JJ wouldn't mind something like that, but she knew they were only doing it to dispel the internet rumors that her character was secretly a lesbian who was in a secret subtextual relationship with the only other woman on the show, Nancy Griggs, played by a relatively new actress named, Ashley Seaver.

JJ didn't care that there was a fan base that thought her character was really gay, she just wished the network and the writers hadn't gotten wind of it and decided to try to squash the rumors.

Hotch looked at JJ for a moment, **"JJ, this guy is dangerous. Just because he hasn't escalated to threats doesn't mean he won't. Please, if you won't do it for yourself...do it for Henry."** He hadn't wanted to use JJ's son as leverage but he would if it meant getting through to JJ.

JJ paled when Hotch mentioned her son. Henry was seven years old, and he was the center of JJ's world. **"That's a low blow Hotch."**

**"What's a low blow sis?"** JJ's younger sister, Carrie, walked into the room then, smiling at the two of them. She was a freelance photographer by trade and also the primary caregiver for Henry when JJ was on the set or on location.

JJ turned to her sister and said, **"Hotch is using Henry to get me to take some wacko fan seriously."** Her tone indicated that she didn't think the 'fan' in question was a big deal.

Carrie turned to Hotch and caught his eye. He didn't say a word, he simply nodded once. Carrie turned back to her sister and said, **"JJ, I think Hotch is right. I mean, I saw some of the letters this creep's been sending and I gotta say, I'd feel much safer if there was some extra muscle around here and around you."** Carrie softened her tone before she went on, **"Besides, Henry already lost one mom, do you really want to risk making him lose his other mom too?"**

JJ knew she was beat. Carrie wouldn't have mentioned Alex if she wasn't determined to make JJ see the light.

Alexandra Wright was JJ's high school girlfriend. They met during senior year when Alex's family moved to East Allegheny from Harrisburg. Before long, they were dating and fell in love. Alex followed JJ to Penn State, where they met Garcia and Elle, and soon after graduation, they got 'married'. They all moved to California together and Alex got a job working as a reporter at the LA Times while JJ pursued her acting career.

In 2003, they started trying to get pregnant. JJ was between acting jobs, she was starting to get recognized and even a little famous. They knew that if they wanted kids, they needed to start before JJ's fame really took off and her every move was scrutinized.

On May 19, 2004 Henry James Wright-Jareau was born. Six months later, Alex was killed in a drive by shooting while she was on assignment in East L.A. The devastation of the loss was tempered only by the presence of her infant son, who needed her to be strong and brave.

Without Henry, JJ knew she would've slipped into a depression so profound she'd never escape. Thankfully, she had him around and she was able to get through losing Alex. Henry knew who she was because JJ had told him about her when he was old enough to understand.

JJ didn't date anymore, she didn't socialize much beyond Garcia, Elle and her sister, unless she had to. Carrie was always her escort to award shows and she spent most of her non-working hours at home with Henry.

JJ forced herself to think about what would happen if something happened to her, how Henry would take it and she knew that she couldn't put him through that, she also knew she couldn't risk anything happening to Henry because of her...stalker. She looked from Hotch to Carrie then back to Hotch and sighed.

**"OK, you win. I'll hire some extra security. But **_**I**_** decide who I hire. So get me a short list of companies and I'll pick one."** If she was going to bring a total stranger into her house and around her son and sister, she was going to have a direct and active hand in picking the right person.

Hotch smiled then reached into the inside pocket of his suit and pulled out a narrow piece of paper. He handed it to JJ. **"I hoped you'd say that so I already put together a short list. They all come highly recommended and have been fully vetted."**

JJ looked at the list and studied the names on it. They were all private security firms. One name stood out to her and she smiled, _Safe Haven Security_. She thought the name was interesting so she handed the list back to Hotch, **"Safe Haven Security. Set it up and have them send their best...agent, or operative or whatever they're called, for an interview. Only their best Hotch, and I will be conducting the interview. Talk with Jessie about my schedule, okay?"**

Hotch nodded, already familiar with Jessie Sinclair, JJ's personal assistant who gave new meaning to the term 'tight schedule'. **"You got it. I'll call her to set it up. I should get going though. Sorry to intrude on your day off. I'll see myself out."**

**"Bye Hotch. And no sorry needed. You know you're always welcomed. In fact, this weekend I'm having a barbecue, why don't you bring Haley and Jack?"**

Hotch smiled at the mention of his wife and ten year old son. **"Sounds like a plan. What time?"**

**"Any time after 11 is fine. See you then!"**

Hotch nodded then waved goodbye to Carrie before he left the house.

Carrie turned to JJ then, smiling, **"So...a barbecue this weekend? When were you going to tell me about this?"**

**"I was going to tell you today. I came up with the idea last night when Henry asked when was the next time Jack was coming over. I thought it would be nice to have a cookout and some friends over to have a good time."**

**"Sounds good to me."** Carrie smiled, thinking about how much fun it was going to be. She loved California, especially Los Angeles because it was always perfect pool weather.

The sisters spent a few more hours just talking before they changed into their swimsuits. At 3, Henry's bus dropped him from school and he did his homework quickly so he could join his mom and his aunt in the pool before dinner.

It was a pretty typical night for the Jareau family. Some fun in the pool, dinner, and then movies on the couch until Henry's bedtime. JJ tucked Henry in and then went to her own room while Carrie retired to her darkroom to work on her latest photographs. She was always taking pictures around town and then developing them at night.

Before midnight, the three occupants of the house were fast asleep in their beds.

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><p>He sat alone in his trailer, staring at the picture in his hands. He'd taken it almost a year ago, during one of her rare trips out in public alone. She was as beautiful as he remembered and he felt his heart skip a beat. He'd waited so long to be with her. He was a patient man but he knew that time was running low.<p>

Soon, he would put his plan into action and make his move and she would be his forever. It was his destiny and all the time he'd waited, all the roadblocks in his way would be worth it when he finally had her.

He walked to the rear of the trailer and laid down on the messy bed. He held the picture in one hand, using his thumb to lightly stroke over the image of her face. Before long, he closed his eyes and began to imagine her there in the trailer with him. As his imagination took flight, his free hand slipped into his jeans, not surprised to find he was already hard, and he began to stroke himself, imagining it was her hand that was touching him.

He climaxed a little while later, her name on his lips, then slipped off to sleep, dreams of her floating in his mind.

TBC...


	3. Safe Haven Security

**Chapter 2 **

_Safe Haven Security_

It was a quiet afternoon in the small office of Safe Haven Security and Emily Prentiss, owner of Safe Haven, was sitting at her desk with her team spread out around her at their own desks. The bullpen of the office was designed so that everyone had some privacy but they could also talk and exchange ideas without having to shout or move from their desks. Safe Haven had two teams of operatives, one led by Emily and one led by her partner Derek Morgan. Right now, Derek's team was on assignment providing protection for a visiting Arabian Princess. Emily's team was free at the moment, having just finished an assignment protecting the daughter of a wealthy businessman while they tracked down his kidnapped son.

Thankfully, they had managed to find the boy alive and safe, the kidnappers were arrested by the local cops and facing trial. So today, Emily and her team were in the office, writing up their final reports and just relaxing until the next job came in.

Emily looked around at her team, her family really, and she smiled, remembering how each of them came to work for her and how, with each new addition, her own heart had healed.

**"Hey Emily, why are you smiling?"** Ziva David, Emily's second in command and her oldest friend, looked up from her work and saw her boss and friend smiling and now she was curious. Ziva's Israeli accent was pronounced enough to be noticed but not heavy enough to impede her being understood.

Emily looked at her friend and tilted her head for a moment and decided to change the subject, not ready to reveal that she was reminiscing about the past. **"Just wondering how Derek and his team are doing with the Princess. You know how Sam feels about spoiled royalty."**

It was no secret that their co-worker, Samantha Spade, former FBI agent from New York's missing persons unit, had a problem with royalty, though no one had ever gotten a straight answer from her as to why. Emily had wondered if it was smart to let Sam stay on the case, but she had assured her and Derek that she could separate her personal feelings from the job.

Before Ziva could say anything, another voice joined the conversation. **"Yeah, what's her problem boss?"** It was Myka Bering, a former Secret Service agent who joined the company about a year after her partner was killed in the line of duty.

Emily was accustomed to being called boss, though she wasn't always comfortable with the title. She grinned at Myka then glanced at Rain, who deliberately kept her head down as the older ladies talked. Rain was the younger sister of Derek's best friend so she was like Derek's own little sister. Emily had quickly accepted her into the little family she and Derek had formed.

Emily looked back to Myka and answered her, **"Beats me. I can never get a straight answer out of that girl."**

The ladies in the office were glad that the fifth member of their team, Nick Stokes, was at a dentist's appointment and wasn't around to hear them talking about his girlfriend.

**"So, any chance we can get tomorrow off and have a nice long weekend?"** Ziva asked, hopefully. She wanted to spend some quality time with her girlfriend, Abby Sciuto, who was primarily known as Gate Keeper by everyone at Safe Haven.

Myka nodded, agreeing with Ziva's idea of a long weekend, especially if she could get her girlfriend Helena to take the weekend off as well.

Emily looked at the hopeful faces of her team and she knew they really wanted the long weekend. She smiled, **"Well...as long as we don't get a case between now and closing time, and you all get your reports done on time, I don't see why we can't have the weekend off. But you all know that even if we get the time off, we all have to be on call in case Derek's team needs backup."**

There was a chorus of agreeing grunts and nods. They all knew that the unexpected often had a way of derailing the best laid plans.

They all went back to their paperwork, determined to finish their reports before the end of the day.

Emily sat back, watching in silence with a smile on her face. Before she could start thinking again about the past, her phone rang.

**"Safe Haven Security. How may we help you?"** Emily answered the phone with her usual greeting. The man on the other end of the phone had a deep, serious voice and Emily straightened in her seat as he spoke. **"Yes sir this is Prentiss...well, I have an opening tomorrow at noon...yes I can do that...ok I'll see you then...oh, um, well okay then I guess I'll see her then...okay, goodbye Mr. Hotchner."**

Emily hung up the phone with a smile on her face. She had spoken to Aaron Hotchner yesterday when he'd called her private line. He was referred to her through one of her Hollywood connections. He was an agent and one of his clients was in need of some help. Emily liked working with celebrities in general but she had had a few negative experiences in her past. She made it a rule though, to always go into every job with an open mind.

Ziva looked up when Emily hung up the phone, a wary look on her face as she took in her friend's face, **"I take it we are **_**not**_** getting a weekend off, yes?"**

Emily looked at her friend, **"Um...probably not. I'm going to be meeting with a potential new client tomorrow. I'll let you guys know how it goes."** Emily glanced at the clock on the wall and, seeing it was almost 3 o'clock and there wasn't anything going on right now she said, **"Let's call it a day. You can finish the reports tomorrow morning, okay?"**

No one needed to be told twice. They packed up their things and started to leave. Ziva was the last to leave and she stopped by Emily's desk. She leaned against the corner and looked down at her friend. They had known each other since they were teenagers. They met when Emily's mom was assigned to the Embassy in Tel Aviv. Before Ziva's father recruited her into Mossad, she had been a lonely young girl and Emily Prentiss was the first person outside of her family to befriend her.

**"Emily, are you okay?"**

Emily looked up at Ziva and pasted on a smile. **"Yeah, I'm fine. Go home to Abby. I'm just going to relax with a drink and my tivo."  
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Ziva studied her for a moment more then shrugged, she knew Emily would talk to her when she was ready. **"Okay, I will see you tomorrow then. But you know I am always here for you, yes?"**

**"Yeah, I know."** Emily stood up and hugged the former assassin. **"You're a good friend Z, now go home to your girl before she starts tracking your cell phone."** Emily joked, knowing Abby, or Gate Keeper as she was known, wouldn't cross that line unless it was absolutely necessary.

Ziva nodded then left the building. Emily stayed a little while longer then she locked up the office and left.

Emily drove to her condo in West Hollywood. She quickly showered and then slipped into a pair of boxers and a tank top. She was in for the day and not inclined to go out anywhere. She ordered Chinese delivery and then settled in front of the television with a tall glass of Pepsi and the remote control.

Emily settled in for another night of television and take out, content to simply relax in her apartment.

TBC...

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><p><strong>AN: Ok, so...here's the breakdown. Ziva left NCIS after Jenny died and took Abby with her. Myka quit Secret Service after Sam was killed and was never recruited for Warehouse 13. She meets Helena (who isn't HG Wells but a descendant of the writer as <em>history<em> remembers him). Rain is all mine. Nick Stokes left Vegas after Warrick was killed. Sam Spade from Without a Trace left NYC and FBI after a really bad case and an even worse break up. Abby is Gate Keeper and Kevin Lynch is Oracle together they do what Garcia normally does on Criminal Minds, except in this story she's not a tech guru. Is that clear now? Any questions, again just ask. For those who know my personal fanfic site, I will post Character bios there soon so everyone can follow along. www . freewebs . com / acathlasfanfics is the site. **


	4. You're Hired

**AN: Okay so this chapter was ready at like 5pm but apparently this site wasn't ready for it. The server was down I guess. But at last, here is the next chapter! Chapter 4 is halfway done and should be up tomorrow. Enjoy this one!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Emily pulled her car up to the tall gate that guarded the house where her potential new client lived. Jennifer Jareau, Emily was familiar with her work and while she didn't watch _City of Angels_ on a regular basis, she knew enough to fake her way through a conversation about it.

Emily rolled her window down and pressed the button on the intercom. A minute later, a woman's voice came crackling out of the box.

**"Can I help you?"**

Emily leaned closer, **"Emily Prentiss to see Miss Jareau."**

**"What is this in regards to Miss Prentiss?"**

**"Safe Haven Security."**

There was a silence on the line for a few minutes before the voice returned, **"Just drive straight ahead, follow the drive way. The house is on the left, you can't miss it."** The gate opened then and Emily shook her head and drove through, noticing how quickly it shut behind her.

After about a half mile she pulled up to a mansion that was painted sky blue with white shutters. Emily parked her car and got out. She took a breath to steady herself then walked up to the front door and rang the bell. She wasn't the type to get star struck or nervous around celebrities but she was always cautious around new clients. As she waited for someone to answer the door, she looked around, mentally cataloguing every thing and spotting holes in the security system and the grounds.

The door opened a few minutes later and a young blonde girl stood there. She didn't look to be more than 20 to Emily but she knew looks could be deceiving. She looked enough like the publicity pictures of Jennifer Jareau that Emily deduced she must be related to her somehow.

Emily smiled at the young girl and said, **"Hi, I'm Emily Prentiss from Safe Haven Security, I have an appointment with Miss Jareau."**

Carrie took a second to study the dark haired woman in front of her and she smiled, liking what she saw. Emily Prentiss had an air of confidence and competence about her and Carrie sensed that this woman would be good at her job. Still, she decided to have some fun with her. **"I'm Miss Jareau, I don't remember any appointment for today, sorry."** She went to close the door and was surprised but pleased when Emily put a hand out and stopped the door's progress.

**"Sorry, I meant Miss **_**Jennifer**_** Jareau."** Emily knew this girl was testing her and she didn't mind, as long as she didn't get annoying about it.

Carrie grinned wider, **"Oh, well why didn't you just say that? There's more than one Miss Jareau in this house. I'm Carrie by the way, Jennifer's younger sister. Come in please."** Carrie stepped aside and let the brunette walk past her into the foyer.

Emily stood in the entryway, taking a moment to look around at the layout of the house, what she could see of it. She turned to Carrie when the door closed. **"So, is your sister available?"**

Carrie took the brunette's arm and began to lead her to the living room where JJ was waiting. **"Yeah, this way. Come on."**

Emily allowed herself to be led through the house but she was sure to look all around at her surroundings and also to keep her guard up. She wasn't expecting trouble or danger just yet but she had learned the hard way that it was safer to always be alert.

Carrie led Emily into the living room and raised her voice, alerting her sister to the new arrival. **"Hey sis, your nooner is here!"** Carrie's sense of humor was a bit on the twisted side.

JJ turned to her sister's voice and felt herself begin to blush a little at her words, **"Carrie that's not funny. Go keep Henry company while I speak to..."** She trailed off as she looked at the new arrival and waited for her to fill in the blank.

Emily stepped forward a little and said, **"Emily Prentiss, Miss Jareau, from Safe Haven Security."**

Carrie took that as her cue and left the room in search of her nephew.

JJ walked closer to Emily and shook her hand, **"Miss Prentiss, please have a seat, and call me Jennifer."** JJ wasn't ready yet to have this woman call her JJ. That was reserved for her close friends and family.

Emily took a seat on the couch, noting how comfortable it was, and smiled at the blonde, **"Well, please call me Emily. So, Mr. Hotchner told me a little about your situation but I would like to hear it in your words. So why do you think you need my services?"**

JJ took a moment to think about that then said, **"To be honest, I don't really think I do. Hotch and Carrie are overreacting to some fan mail I have been getting. They are seeing stalkers everywhere and all I see is a fan who doesn't like what the show is doing with my character. Still, having said that, I am not willing to take the chance that I am wrong and leave my...family vulnerable to an attack if this fan is as dangerous as Hotch thinks he is."** JJ paused over the word family because, thanks to some careful planning, the general public didn't know about Henry. She kept his out of the spotlight at all costs, not wanting him to get caught up in the paparazzi's web of photos. She wanted him to have as normal a childhood as he possibly could, given who his mother is.

Emily nodded, understanding where this woman was coming from. No one wanted to admit that they could have a stalker and might need outside help. She saw it often with her celebrity clients. Most of them though, were more concerned with the publicity that a stalker would generate than with their own safety. This woman seemed to be different, more concerned with keeping her family safe than how the tabloids would paint this scenario.

**"Well I appreciate your honesty Jennifer. I must say it's refreshing to hear someone who is more concerned with her family's safety than with how the tabloids will spin the story."** Before JJ could say anything about that Emily held up her hand, **"I assure you Jennifer, that my team understands the meaning of confidentiality. We are trained to blend into the background when needed but to also be visible when it's necessary. You'd be amazed how often just the presence of a bodyguard, or even just someone who looks like a friend, will deter the average fan."**

JJ visibly relaxed, **"Well that's good to know. I have to tell you that I took some time last night to look up your company online and I liked what I saw, but I have a few questions, if you don't mind."**

Emily sat back on the couch and smiled, **"Of course, ask me anything."**

JJ also sat back and took a moment to think about what she wanted to know and how to ask. **"OK, well first things first, what's your fee?"**

Emily smiled at the blunt nature of the question. She liked people who got right down to it. **"Flat fee for a stalker case is ten grand for the life of the contract."**

**"No matter how long it takes?"**

**"Yes ma'am. Safe Haven doesn't just provide protection, I have a team of professionals and former law enforcement officers that will not only protect you but will also investigate, track and neutralize your stalker. We are a full service company."**

JJ frowned at that last part, **"What do you mean by neutralize?"** She wanted her stalker stopped but she wasn't sure she wanted him killed.

**"Most stalkers are rather easy to capture and arrest, but some of the more...dedicated ones won't stop until they are in the ground. Some even commit suicide by cop rather than let go of their obsessions. We try our best to avoid loss of life but it is sometimes unavoidable. We will do our very best to bring your stalker in alive but I want to prepare you for the chance that he may have other plans."**

**"Okay...I guess that's the best I can ask for huh?"** JJ paused a moment then said, **"Well, unless you have any questions for me, you're hired."**

Emily was happy to get the job but she did have a few questions. **"Thank you, I do have a few questions now that you've agreed to hire us."**

**"Of course, go ahead."**

Emily paused then said, **"How many people live on the premises? I need to know how many people I need to protect."**

**"There's me, Carrie, my sister, and Henry my son. There's a maid who comes three times a week but she doesn't live-in. Other than that, no one else."**

**"Okay, I've met Carrie, how old is your son?"**

**"Henry is seven. I would like it if he didn't know exactly why there's more security if it's possible. I don't want him to live in fear."**

Emily thought about that, **"I can come up with a less scary reason it shouldn't be a problem. My team and I are accustomed to dealing with children. I would like to assign a member of my team to be Carrie's and Henry's personal guards for the duration of the contract, is that alright?"**

JJ thought about that and said, **"I would like to meet your team before I agree to personal guards but there shouldn't be a problem with that. When can you assemble your team here?"**

Emily grinned, **"I can have them here within the hour if that's okay. They are just a phone call away."**

**"Call them, let's get this started."**

**"Okay, one second."** Emily stood up and walked a few feet away before she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the office line. Within three rings, Ziva answered the phone. **"Z, I need you and the team here now... the address is in my day planner. Bring everyone and be prepared to start right away. And Z, there's a child involved so prep Nick, ok? Good girl, I'll see you soon."** Emily hung up and then turned back to Jennifer. **"The team is on the way. In the meantime, maybe you can show me the grounds so I can get familiar with the layout?"**

JJ was caught off guard, thinking Emily would want to meet Henry first. **"Um, sure. Come with me."** She began to lead Emily to the French doors that opened up to the deck in the back yard.

-AUFIC-

About forty five minutes later, Emily got a text from Ziva saying the team was at the gate. Emily told Jennifer and she opened her own cell phone and dialed a number. She instructed whoever answered to let in the car at the gate.

JJ hung up the phone and turned to Emily, **"We should head back to the house. There's not much else to see except for the grove and that's just behind those trees."**

**"The grove?"** Emily was curious now, it sounded like an open space that would be a perfect place for a stalker to take a shot at Jennifer.

JJ smiled as she thought about the grove. **"Yeah, it's my sanctuary, where I go to think."** JJ looked back towards the house then she decided they had a little time so she sighed and said, **"Come on, it's this way."**

Emily followed Jennifer though the grounds, to a weeping willow tree. They walked through the tree's drooping branches and into the cavern that the branches created. JJ stopped in the center of the space and gave Emily a moment to look around.

Emily looked around and noticed a small bench at the foot of the tree and lush green grass all around the tree's trunk. She wondered how the grass stayed so green with there was no sunlight coming through the branches. She turned to Jennifer, **"This is the grove?"**

**"Yep. I know the name is misleading, but that's why I call it that. I can come here and sit on the bench and just let everything else melt away. Plus, it keeps me hidden from view so I always feel safe here."** JJ closed her eyes and turned her head towards the sky, soaking in the serenity of the space, even with another person with her. She never brought anyone here...not since Alex died. This was her sanctuary from the world, from her grief.

Emily stood watching Jennifer's reaction and she couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked in that moment. She was completely relaxed and the years melted away and to Emily, she looked all of 18 again for a moment. The innocence in her pose was deceptive but fitting.

After a few moments, JJ opened her eyes and noticed Emily looking at her. She felt herself begin to blush and in an attempt to play it off, she changed the subject, **"Um, anyway, we should get back to the house now so I can meet your team."**

Emily just nodded, the spell broken. She followed Jennifer out of the tree and back up to the house.

They walked in silence to the house, each woman lost in her own thoughts. JJ was wondering why she had told Emily about the grove, she never told anyone about it, much less showed them where it was...but there was something about Emily that seemed to call out to her. Besides, she rationalized it to herself after a bit as being necessary to aid in Emily's protection of her. If Emily didn't know about the grove, it could prove to be dangerous if her stalker learned of it.

Emily was thinking about all the things she was going to have to change or initiate to bring the grounds up to her standards so she could effectively protect Jennifer and her family. She had noticed gaps earlier in the security of the grounds but now, having seen the whole property up close, she saw a few more. She was already thinking of ways to close the gaps. She would consult with Myka and Ziva, since they were the ones who had the most experience with security procedures. Nick and Rain were more...physical and suited to the protection aspect of the job. Emily, Myka and Ziva were the investigators and the most observant.

Something occurred to Emily then, as she thought about Nick's assignment to guard Jennifer's son, and she put a hand on the blonde's arm to stop her progress.

JJ turned to Emily, curiously.

**"Jennifer, you mentioned that your son and sister live here...where's Henry's father?"** Emily was curious if the man was still in the picture and if he would need protection as well.

JJ blinked, not used to anyone asking about Henry's father. She took a breath and said, **"He's...not in the picture."**

Jennifer's tone indicated that the topic was not open for discussion so Emily nodded and let it go. She was sure that she could have Oracle or Gate Keeper to find out about the boy's father for her. Emily liked to have all her bases covered and sometimes, if the protectee wasn't forthcoming with the information, she knew that her tech team would find it. **"Okay, just checking."**

They continued their trek to the house but JJ sensed the topic wasn't closed. She knew Emily would go digging and she knew that it wouldn't be too hard to learn the truth but she wasn't worried. Henry's birth certificate listed 'Alex Wright' as the father and she had made sure that her records from the sperm bank were destroyed after she got pregnant.

TBC...

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><p><strong>By the way, the character bios are up at the website listed in the previous chapter. Go check it out and let me know what y'all think!<strong>


	5. JJ Meets the Team

**Chapter 4**

They reached the house and JJ was surprised to see a big, black Chevy Tahoe parked in front of her house. As they got closer, the doors opened and three ladies and one man stepped out of the truck. They gathered together and waited for Emily to reach them.

JJ stood back and watched as Emily interacted with what she could only assume was her team.

Emily reached her team and smiled at them. Ziva, Myka, Nick and Rain were dressed in their usual attire. Ziva and Nick opted for the casual look; blazers over t-shirts and jeans. Myka, out of long ingrained habit, was wearing a black suit, but she'd forgone the tie in favor of leaving the top few buttons on her sky blue blouse open. Rain was wearing jeans and a black blouse with a red tank top underneath. All four members of her team had their side-arms holstered and out of sight. Ziva, Nick and Myka were able to hide them in shoulder holsters under their blazers, Rain opted to conceal her weapon at the small of her back underneath her blouse, which was untucked. Emily's own weapon was hidden in the same spot, under her blazer and her back up piece was strapped to her ankle.

Emily nodded to her team then began talking. **"Okay, Ziva, Myka you're with me on this one. Nick, I'm putting you in charge of the client's son. Rain, you'll be guarding her sister. Any questions?"**

Nick nodded, **"Yeah, how old is the boy?"** He needed to know exactly what he was in for because he wasn't the infant type.

Emily smiled, **"He's seven."**

Nick smiled and settled back into the group, happy that he wasn't going to be on diaper duty.

Emily waited a moment for any other questions then began again, **"The client wants to meet you all before we go further. Ziva, I need you and Myka to walk the grounds with me after that and check out the security systems. We need to make some changes here to make sure we can be effective."**

Myka broke in, **"Um, boss? What's the job?"**

Emily realized she hadn't told them the details. **"Sorry, stalker case. Seems to be in the early stages but we're not going to be taking any chances here. I'll get into more detail later, but right now, I want you all to meet the client and her family. Come on."**

Emily led her team to where Jennifer was standing watching them. She was far away enough not to hear them but close enough to keep an eye on them. The team stepped up to the blonde and each gave their most reassuring smile.

Emily stepped to the side and said, **"Miss Jareau, I'd like you to meet my team. This is Ziva David, Myka Bering, Nick Stokes, and Rain James. Ladies, and Nick, this is the client, Jennifer Jareau."**

JJ shook hands with each one of them, smiling at them. They seemed nice enough but JJ took another look and noticed the slight bulges in the blazers of three of them. She knew right away that meant they were carrying guns. **"Nice to meet you all, please call me Jennifer."**

Emily spoke up again, **"Jennifer, Nick will be Henry's personal guard. Rain will be Carrie's guard. Ziva and Myka will work the grounds as well as alternate with me as your personal guard. Is that okay?"**

JJ turned to Emily, missing the looks on her team's faces. They never knew their boss to be this accommodating to any client. Usually, she would assign them their tasks and if the client didn't like it, tough because that was how it was going to be. To see Emily actually asking the client if the arrangements were okay with her was a bit surreal to them.

**"Sounds fine to me,"** JJ then turned to Nick and said, **"I only have one request Mr. Stokes. Please don't let my son see your gun unless it's absolutely necessary."**

Nick had enough experience to not let his surprise show but he couldn't stop his mouth from asking, **"How did you know I was carrying?"**

JJ chuckled, **"Mr. Stokes, I play a cop on TV, I hang out with cops on the set, they are the technical advisors, so I know how to spot shoulder holsters. Ms. David and Ms. Bering also have them."** She turned to Rain then and looked at her for a moment, **"I'm guessing though, that your gun is at your back, like Emily's gun. Am I right?"**

Rain chuckled at that and said, **"Right, it works best with this outfit."**

**"That's what I thought. I have no personal issue with guns, but I would prefer that my son not see them if it can be avoided, okay?"**

They looked at each other then nodded. They never took their guns out unless it was to protect their charges. Ziva took the lead, **"That should not be a problem, Miss Jareau."** Ziva wasn't sure if she could call this client Jennifer without remembering Jenny, so she opted for using the more formal address.

JJ saw a hint of something in the woman's eyes and decided not to push the name thing. If she was more comfortable calling her Miss Jareau, then that was fine with JJ.

Emily took the lead again and turned to Jennifer, **"Jennifer, I'd like for the team to meet your sister and your son, it would be better that they learn the new faces now so that it won't be a shock to them later."**

JJ's first instinct was to keep all of this away from Henry, but she knew that Emily was right so she simply nodded, **"Of course. If you will all follow me inside, I'll get them."** JJ directed that last part to the whole team.

Emily nodded for the whole team and they turned and followed Jennifer inside the house.

In the foyer, JJ stopped at the intercom near the hall closet and pressed a button, with a house this big, it was easier than shouting. **"Carrie, can you bring Henry down to the living room please?"**

**"On our way now."** Carrie's voice rang out from the intercom.

JJ led the team into the living room and invited them to sit. They opted to stand for the time being.

A few moments later, Carrie and Henry entered the living room. Henry ran right to his mom while Carrie hung back, noticing the new people in the room and was naturally cautious.

After hugging his mom, Henry turned to look at the other people in the room. Emily noticed that his eyes went from happy to curious to cautious in split-second intervals. It seemed to her that this little boy was probably smarter than anyone might give him credit for.

JJ gave Henry a moment to adjust to new people in the house before she spoke. She crouched down to his eye level and looked him in the eyes. **"Henry, I want you to meet some people ok?"**

Henry studied his mother's face for a moment then, seeing there was no hint of danger, he nodded, **"OK mom."**

JJ smiled and then turned to the team which was waiting patiently. They all had experience around children and knew that sometimes things had to go at their pace rather than the adult's pace.

JJ started with Emily, who was standing the closest to her, **"Henry, this is Emily, that's Ziva, Myka, Nick, and Rain."** JJ was glad once again that her memory, which she used mostly to memorize lines, was able to smoothly recall these people's names.

Henry looked at the group as his mother pointed to each one when she said a new name. He then walked closer to the one called Emily and stood right in front of her. He held out his hand.

**"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Emily."** Henry had been taught to use Miss or Mr. before every adult's name and as he went down the line, shaking hands with each of the new people, he was polite and his hand shake was firm.

When he got to the only man in the group he stopped a moment and looked up at him. He had a nice face and he was smiling kindly. Henry instantly liked him.

When he was finished with the handshakes he stood next to his mother again.

Emily looked to Nick who just nodded then stepped forward. **"Henry, would it be okay if you and I hung out for a bit?"**

Henry looked at his mother who smiled and nodded then turned back to Nick, **"Okay, wanna see my room?"** Suddenly, he wasn't the tiny little grownup anymore, he was just a regular little kid.

Nick brought himself down to his level, instinctively knowing how to relate to him. **"That sounds like a great idea, let's go."**

Henry grabbed Nick's hand and led him out of the living room and up the stairs.

With Henry and Nick gone, Carrie stepped forward and introduced herself to the new people.

Emily turned to Carrie and said, **"Carrie, until we catch Jennifer's stalker, I would like to assign Rain here to be your personal guard."**

Carrie glanced at Rain, taking in her honeyed complexion, her dark brown hair with light brown highlights, her dark, almond shaped eyes and her small but toned frame. She liked what she saw and smiled, **"Sounds good to me."**

JJ noticed her sister's inspection of Rain and she knew what her little sister was thinking about and she could only hope that she didn't do anything to compromise her safety.

Emily missed the moment and so she didn't know anything was up so she just nodded. **"Good. I explained to Jennifer that Ziva and Myka will be patrolling the grounds while I act as Jennifer's personal guard. One of them will also join me whenever Jennifer leaves the house. Rain will go where ever you go Carrie, no exceptions, are we clear?"** Emily looked right at Carrie this time, her entire face letting the young blonde know this wasn't up for a debate.

Carrie nodded, noting the seriousness of Emily's face, **"Crystal clear."**

Emily turned to Rain then, **"24 hour eyes Rain."**

Rain straightened her spine a bit more and nodded, knowing the penalty for failure.

Satisfied, Emily turned to Jennifer, **"That goes for you as well. Where ever you go I go."**

JJ couldn't help but smirk as she asked, **"Even to the bathroom?"**

Emily took a breath, **"If it's a public restroom then yes, but if it's here at the house or an otherwise private restroom then I can just wait outside."**

JJ resisted the urge to pout at Emily's answer, the woman was no fun. She was trying to tease her or get a rise out of her and nothing. She realized she was just going to have to step it up a notch.

Emily turned to Ziva and Myka, **"Get ready, we're inspecting the grounds in a few."**

Both ladies just nodded.

Emily turned back to Jennifer, **"Stay in the house until we've finished our inspection okay? One less person walking the grounds will make it easier to see where we'll need to focus our energies on in the coming days."**

**"Okay, I'll just watch some TV."** JJ knew better than to argue right now, plus she wanted some time away from Emily to formulate her plan to get through the brunette's tough exterior. No one had ever fascinated her more than Emily did...not since Alex came into her life. JJ was determined to see how far she could tease Emily, and what would happen if she was to go just a little further.

Emily nodded, grateful to have a client that was so accommodating. She led Ziva and Myka out of the living room and took much the same path that Jennifer had taken her on earlier. She knew it was going to take a while, but it would be worth it if it made the grounds safer and her job easier.

TBC...

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, JJ met the team and now we're going to get to the really good stuff. Hopefully. thank you to all those who reviewed, I am glad so many people like this story so far. Next chapter should be up soon hopefully.<br>**


	6. Oracle and Gate Keeper

**AN: I am going on record right now as saying that if Hotch seems 'out of character' it's only because _this_ Hotch never became an FBI agent and therefore never saw the things he saw that turned him into the stoic, grim faced, hawk eyed man we all know and love. This Hotch went a different route and was able to hold on to some of his humor. He wasn't trained and somewhat forced to be this serious guy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

The next day, Emily was at the office at the indecently early hour of 4am waiting for Aaron Hotchner to arrive for their meeting. After she had finished walking Ziva and Myka through the grounds and made all the notes about where they had to focus their energies on, she sent them home and called Mr. Hotchner.

He agreed to bring all of the originals of the letters and other assorted gifts that Jennifer's stalker had sent. Emily asked for the early morning meeting because today was her first full day of bodyguard duty with Miss Jareau and she wanted to get Oracle and Gate Keeper started on evaluating the letters and the gifts before she got entrenched in Jennifer's everyday life.

Emily was about to call Mr. Hotchner on his cell, the man was fifteen minutes late, when the door opened and he walked into the office. Emily put her phone back on its cradle and stood up to greet the man who looked like he'd just woken up. He was...adorably disheveled.

**"Mr. Hotchner, thank you for meeting me so early."**

Aaron Hotchner looked up from the box he was carrying and smiled at the dark haired woman, **"It's not a problem. I'm sorry I'm late, but I accidentally woke up my son as I was getting ready and he took forever to get back to sleep."**

Emily nodded, **"I can understand that, he was probably disoriented at waking up so early and then seeing you about to leave. It's really not a problem."** Despite not really having been around kids much, Emily could imagine how a child might react to something that wasn't part of their routine day.

Hotch nodded, happy that his tardiness, which was really out of character for him, wasn't going to be held against him. He lifted the box in his hands up a little and asked, **"Um, where would you like this?"**

Emily looked at the box, **"Is that all of it?"** At the man's nod, she motioned to a table off to the side, **"You can just put it there. My tech team will be in soon to take command of it."**

Hotch put the box on the indicated table and turned to Emily, **"Miss Prentiss-"**

**"Please, call me Emily Mr. Hotchner."**

**"Okay, then call me Aaron, or Hotch. I was going to say that...Jennifer is very important to me. She's not just a client, she's my friend. I am Henry's godfather. So please, just find this guy and stop him before he gets close to them, okay?"**

Aaron Hotchner wasn't normally this vocal or emotional, but he couldn't help it. JJ, Henry and Carrie were a part of his family and if anything were to happen to them, he didn't know what he would do.

Emily took a moment to process what Hotch had said and she nodded, **"You have my word that I will not let this man or anyone else get close enough to harm Jennifer, Henry or Carrie."** Emily took her job very seriously, because she knew what it was like to lose someone you love to violence.

Hotch looked into Emily's eyes and he saw the truth and determination in them and he nodded, knowing that his friend was in good hands. **"Good. Well I have to get going. If there's anything else you need from me or my office, just ask."**

**"I'll remember that. Good bye Hotch."**

Emily watched him leave and then walked over to the table with the box. She reached out and opened a drawer on the table. She pulled out two latex gloves and snapped them on before she opened the box. She didn't want to risk contaminating the evidence in the box but she was curious about this guy's mental state.

* * *

><p>About fifteen minutes later, Emily was sitting at the table with all the letters spread out in front of her, arranged in chronological order. She studied each letter, focusing on the language and tone of each one. The profiler in her, which was ingrained in her, was mentally plotting the progression of this 'unsub's' obsession, and she wasn't liking where it was going.<p>

This guy was well into the obsession stage of the stalker's triad and Emily knew that it was only a matter of time before he slipped into the final stage, destruction. Before she could get into the gifts he'd sent, the door opened again and two people walked in, talking and joking around.

Emily turned to face the new comers and smiled at her tech team. **"Oracle, Gate Keeper...what's the joke?"**

Oracle, otherwise known as Kevin Lynch, formerly of the BAU, looked at his boss and friend and tried to explain, **"Gate Keeper was telling me about the time one of her former co-workers accidentally over-bleached his teeth."**

Gate Keeper, Abby to rest of the world, chimed in, **"It was so funny Emily. McGee was doing everything he could to tone down the whiteness of his teeth. He drank like ten Caff-Pows but nothing helped."** When she noticed that Emily wasn't laughing with them, Abby toned it down, **"I guess you had to be there."**

**"Yeah...or just watch Friends."** Emily grinned, recognizing the situation as one that happened on the old TV show. **"Guys, I just got the physical evidence from our current case. So, Oracle I need you to track the syntax and language and see if this guy has a blog or something online dedicated to our client. Gate Keeper, I need you to use your fancy forensic machines, that I shelled out a small fortune for, to check for prints, maybe even any DNA this guy might've left behind on the letters and the gifts. This is a rush job so, it takes priority, got it?"**

Oracle and Gate Keeper looked at the table then turned to look at each other. After a few moments of silent communication, Oracle said, **"I'll get the Caff-Pows if you take that back to the lair, deal?"**

The Lair was what they called their lab/computer room. It was located at the rear of the building and was a blend of Kevin's old computer room at the BAU and Abby's old lab from NCIS only much bigger and with much newer, more powerful equipment. Gate Keeper took a moment to think about that and then nodded, **"Deal."**

Oracle left the office to procure the aforementioned caffeinated drinks. Gate Keeper had introduced him to the Caff-Pows when she first started working with him and he had to admit they were very good. Gate Keeper turned to her boss, **"No worries Emily, we'll get this guy."**

Emily smiled, **"I have no doubt about that Gate Keeper. After today though, I'll only be reachable by cell, video phone or email, okay? I'm going to be primary guard on the client."**

Abby smiled as she remembered who Ziva told her was the client, **"You're going to be 24/7 with Jennifer Jareau? I am such a huge fan of her show **_**City of Angels**_**. It's such a great show."**

**"Yeah? Well I don't watch it enough to make such an assessment. But right now, whether the show is good or not is unimportant. We need to focus on finding her stalker and not get sidetracked by the celebrity, got it?"**

Gate Keeper nodded, knowing better than to let her love for the show and its star distract her from the job she needed to do. She had experience with stalkers, and she knew that they never stopped until they were caught.

Gate Keeper walked over to the table with the evidence and, just like Emily before her, she got a pair of gloves before she began to touch the letters to put them back into the box carefully. When everything was back in the box, she turned to Emily, **"So, you know where to find me. I'll call when we find something useful, okay?"**

Emily nodded, **"That works Gate Keeper. Just remember, this is top priority."**

**"You got it."** With that, Gate Keeper picked up the box and began walking towards the back of the room where the hallway that led to the Lair was located. She slipped through the door and walked down the hallway.

Emily watched her go then walked back to her desk and got her things together. She strapped on her gun to the small of her back, and slipped her wallet into the back pocket of her jeans. She had decided to dress casual for the duration of the case, preferring to try to blend into the background as Jennifer's friend or part of her entourage rather than standing out as an obvious body guard.

Emily locked up her desk and shut down her computer before she began walking to the door to leave. Oracle returned before she reached the door, he was holding four extra-large Caff-Pows. She knew that they would last her tech team about an hour or so, and she made a mental note to look into getting them their own Caff-Pow machine for their Lair.

**"Oracle, Gate Keeper is in the Lair. Please do me a favor and pace yourselves with the caffeine, okay?"**

Oracle looked from the drinks to his boss, **"Um, three of these are for Gate Keeper, and you know how she can be about her caffeine but I'll do my best."** He smiled.

Emily nodded, very familiar with Gate Keeper's love for the caffeinated beverages. **"Guess that's all I can ask. I'm going mobile now. The outside door will be locked and the alarm will be on. The others won't be checking in, they'll be heading right to the client's house later. But Derek's team might stop by, so just keep an eye on the cameras okay?"**

Oracle nodded, familiar with the protocols for when Emily or Derek's team went mobile. It usually meant that no one on the team was going to be coming to the office to avoid being followed by any bad guys. The entire building was wired with cameras and when the teams were mobile it was up to him and Gate Keeper to keep an eye on the footage to make sure no one broke in or tried to sneak up on them. **"You got it. Good luck boss."**

**"Thanks Oracle...something tells me I'm going to need it on this one."** With that, Emily left the building and headed to her car.

Oracle watched her leave then he walked to the door and locked it. He then turned to the alarm pad next to the door and keyed in the code, setting the alarm. Once he was certain that the building was securely locked, he walked to the back of the room and followed the same path Gate Keeper had before him and entered their lair.

Before too long, both Oracle and Gate Keeper were immersed in their work, the music playing and their movements flowing in a coordinated dance that, to an outside observer might seem rehearsed, but that was really just second nature after the years they'd been working together.

* * *

><p>As Emily pulled up to the gate that guarded Jennifer Jareau's house for the second time in as many days, she took a moment to mentally prepare herself for the task at hand. She knew that this assignment was going to be tougher than any that came before, for the simple fact that Jennifer Jareau was a beautiful woman and, if Emily's past relationships were anything to go by, she was exactly Emily's type. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and an underlying hint of vulnerability that was masked by a confident exterior...yup, exactly what always drew Emily to a woman. But this time, she couldn't afford to give in to her attraction, because to do so would mean certain disaster. She wouldn't be able to protect Jennifer if she allowed her emotions to distract her.<p>

Emily took a deep breath, then lowered her window to press the intercom. Before she could reach it though, her cell phone rang. She reached over and checked the caller ID, smiling when she saw Ziva's face smiling back at her. She answered the call with a smile on her face, **"Hey Z, where are you and Myka?"**

**"We are right behind you Emily. We parked on the sidewalk until you cleared the gate."** Emily could hear Myka in the background correcting Ziva's phrasing, telling her they parked on the street not the sidewalk. She also heard Ziva say to Myka that the next time she corrected her, she was going to show her how she used to deal with annoying co-workers in the past.

Emily grinned at their antics. Despite being happily involved with other women, those two often bickered like an old married couple. It was often amusing to just sit back and watch them go at it, but Emily didn't have time for that today. **"Ok, Z, just pull the van up behind me so you can pull in when the gate opens. I'll meet you two at the front doors."** Emily hung up without waiting for a reply.

Emily reached out and pressed the intercom button and waited for a response. The voice when it came, was easily recognizable this time as being Carrie's. She had spent some time with the younger Jareau woman yesterday talking about what her routine usually was with regard to Henry and her own schedule. Rain and Nick had been there as well, learning what they needed to know so they would be ready today.

**"It's far too early in the morning to be ringing the buzzer Miss Prentiss, remind me to get you a key to the gate. In the meantime, come on in."**

Emily grinned, Carrie had sounded like she'd been sleeping when the buzzer sounded...she also sounded decidely grumpy. She watched as the gate opened and she drove through, checking her rear view mirror to see that the van Ziva and Myka were in drove in behind her. She also spotted two other cars that she recognized and smiled as she realized that Rain and Nick were here now too.

Emily pulled up to the front door and got out of the car. She waited by the hood of her car as Ziva parked the van and Nick and Rain parked their cars behind the van, able to get out when they needed to later.

The team met Emily at her car and smiled their good mornings, each of them holding a take-out cup of coffee from different places. Emily smiled and made a mental note to grab her own cup later. She already had a cup at home and one at the office but she knew she'd need one later.

**"Okay, now that we're all here, we can get started. Rain and Nick, find Carrie and Henry. Nick, since you're Henry's guard you'll be taking him to school and staying there with him so I hope you brought a book or something to keep you entertained while he's in class."**

**"Yeah, I got my iPad. I also had Oracle hook me up with some cool toys for Henry. Mainly a panic button, and an A/V bug that will let me see and hear everything in the classroom from my iPad. This way, if the school doesn't let me sit in the actual classroom with Henry, I can still have eyes and ears on the room."**

Emily nodded, glad that Nick had gone that extra step. **"Good looking out. Go find Henry and explain to him about the 'toys'." **

Emily jerked her head towards the house, dismissing Nick. She then turned to Rain. **"Rain, you know the drill, you stick to Carrie like glue when you leave the grounds with her. No exceptions."**

Rain just nodded, as the junior member of the team, she knew she still had a ways to go to prove herself to them and she was okay with that because at least they were giving her a chance to prove herself and not sticking her at a desk the whole time. Emily smiled and jerked her head again, dismissing Rain. Rain followed Nick to the front door and waited with him for someone to open it. **"So, do you think the school will let you sit in the room?"**

Nick turned to Rain and frowned, **"Maybe, but I think for that to happen I'd have to tell them exactly why I need to sit in the room and that would mean disclosing confidential information. Can't do that, that's why I had Oracle hook me up with the toys. What about you? You going to have fun playing babysitter to a grown woman who, from the looks she was giving you yesterday, might just be planning on trying to get you into bed?"** Nick grinned at that, remembering how Carrie had looked at his friend yesterday.

Rain didn't bat an eyelash but the blood rushing to her cheeks at the mention of getting into bed with her charge gave her away, **"Regardless of what she **_**wants**_**, Nick, it isn't going to happen. We can't do our jobs if we cross that line and I am not going to put someone in danger just for a few hours of...fun."** _'Even if she is a hot blonde.'_ Rain thought to herself.

Nick lifted his arms and was about to apologize for the innuendo when the door opened and the subject of their discussion smiled up at them.

Carrie saw Nick and Rain on the doorstep and smiled, already looking forward to the day she was going to spend with Rain. **"Hey guys, come on in. Henry's still asleep but he should be getting up soon."**

She led them to the living room and motioned for them to sit. They opted to stand for the time being. Nick kept throwing glances at the staircase which led to the upstairs bedrooms, hoping to hear the pitter patter of small feet on the stairs.

* * *

><p>Emily waited until Nick and Rain were inside before she turned to Ziva and Myka. <strong>"Okay, so do you two have everything you need?"<strong>

Ziva nodded as Myka spoke up, **"Yup, it's all in the van. We'll get started on that while you go greet Miss Jareau, okay boss?"**

Emily just nodded. **"Get to it. Call if you need anything."**

They just nodded and waved her off, watching her walk to the door and, without knocking, enter the house.

Myka turned to Ziva then and asked, **"So, how long do you think it will take Emily to realize that Jennifer is into her?"**

Ziva turned to her partner and grinned, **"Knowing Emily, it could be a while. As far as anyone knows, Miss Jareau is straight. I do not think that Emily has even thought of the possibility that Miss Jareau is anything else...and having a child does not exactly help her case, yes?"**

Myka tilted her head and thought about that one, **"Good point. Hey Ziva, how come you won't call her Jennifer?"** Myka was curious, she didn't know that much about Ziva but she knew that the woman rarely stood on ceremony if she didn't have to.

Ziva took a breath as she realized that Myka didn't know about her past...about Jenny. **"There was someone, a close friend, named Jenny...she died a few years ago in the line of duty. I cannot call Miss Jareau by her first name because it reminds me of Jenny and I cannot let myself be reminded of her anymore."**

Myka nodded in understanding, knowing how hard it was for her at first to work with Sam Spade, because of her own ghost named Sam. She eventually got over it but she knew those types of wounds never really healed. **"Okay. So let's get started with our tasks so that this place is up to Safe Haven standards, okay?"**

Ziva nodded, grateful that Myka wasn't going to push for more information. They walked back over to the van and opened the back doors. Ziva climbed inside and began handing Myka the supplies they were going to need. It was going to be a long day but it would be worth it in the end.

* * *

><p>Emily walked into the house without knocking, knowing that Carrie or Nick would've left it unlocked so she could get in. She followed the voices into the living room and stood in the doorway as she watched Rain and Carrie talking in a corner. She couldn't hear the words but she knew it was about Carrie's plans for the day, their body language screamed professional. Nick was standing by the couch, throwing glances at the stairs and Emily realized he was waiting for Henry to come downstairs.<p>

Emily was about to walk into the room when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around fast, already in defensive mode when she recognized Jennifer standing there looking amused.

**"Relax Emily, it's just me."** JJ smirked at the jumpy brunette.

Emily visibly relaxed and smiled back at Jennifer, **"Can't be too careful Jennifer."**

Before JJ could respond to that, there was a sound like stampeding elephants on the staircase. Emily went off in the direction of the sound, curious as to what was making that much noise. She stopped short when she saw Henry running down the stairs in such a way as to make the most noise possible. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he took a mighty leap and landed a few feet away on the solid wood floor. He looked up at that moment and saw Emily and his mom watching him. He grinned widely and ran to his mom.

**"Good morning mommy!"** Henry said as he threw his arms around JJ's waist.

JJ hugged her son back, already used to his big, noisy entrances. **"Good morning honey. Did you sleep okay?"**

Henry looked up at his mom, **"Uh huh, nothing but good dreams."**

**"That's great! But sweetie, what did I tell you last night about the noise?"**

Henry's brow wrinkled as he tried to remember the conversation they'd had when JJ was tucking him in. He looked around the room and noticed the look on Emily's face as she stood there watching him. His little face got red as he remembered what his mom had told him. **"Not to do it anymore because Emily and her team weren't used to it and it might make them worried."** He dutifully repeated as much as he could remember.

JJ nodded along, pleased that he remembered the words even if he'd forgotten to put them to action. **"Right. So, what do you have to say for yourself?"**

Henry looked at his mom for a moment then he sighed softly and turned to face Emily. He took a step closer then said, in a soft, shy but still clear voice, **"I'm sorry if I worried you and your team Emily. I won't do it again."**

Emily hesitated just a moment before she crouched down to Henry's level and looked him in the eye. She gave him a sly smirk and said in a playful tone, **"Well...it's okay this time, but just remember that making that much noise makes the grown-ups nervous."**

Henry looked at the dark haired woman and, seeing she wasn't mad at him, he smiled. **"Okay Emily."**

Emily smiled and stood up, looking down at the precocious young boy who looked far too much like his mother for Emily's comfort.

JJ decided it was time to intervene and she tapped her son's shoulder to get his attention. When he turned to look up at her she said, **"Sweetie, why don't you go find your aunt Carrie and get some breakfast before school?"**

**"Okay mom. See you later Emily!"** Henry waved at the brunette before he went off towards the kitchen where he knew his aunt was waiting for him, most likely clutching a cup a coffee like it was a lifeline.

Emily watched him go and smiled at the innocence of youth.

JJ turned to look at Emily, **"Thank you for not...getting mad at him."**

Emily shrugged as she looked towards the blond, **"it's not a big deal Jennifer. He's just a kid."**

JJ felt herself falling into the dark depths of Emily's eyes, she held the brunette's gaze for a few moments before she managed to tear her gaze away. She turned towards the kitchen. **"I'm going to go get some breakfast."** JJ hadn't felt this nervous and awkward around a woman in her entire life and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

She left the foyer and went to the kitchen, determined to ignore the possibility that she might be attracted to Emily.

Emily watched her go and let out the breath she'd been holding. When she looked around the foyer she was glad to see she was alone. She took a moment to tuck the feelings that Jennifer's gaze evoked into one of her mental compartments. She locked it away, convinced that if she ignored it, it would go away and she'd be able to do her job and keep her client safe.

Once she was sure of herself, Emily walked towards the kitchen where she found Henry and Jennifer sitting at the small table having breakfast. Carrie was standing at the island drinking what looked like coffee, and Nick and Rain were standing by the walls just keeping an eye on everyone and waiting for their charges to be ready to start their day.

Emily caught Nick and Rain's eyes and nodded at them, confident that they knew their roles. She moved to the door that led to the back yard and stepped outside. She looked around and soon spotted Ziva and Myka going about their work and she smiled, glad her team was so independently competent.

JJ watched Emily leave the house and wondered what the woman was up to but she was soon distracted by her son as he began to talk about what he was doing in class today.

Emily stood on the back step for a few moments more before she went back inside, ready to get this day started and get everyone where they needed to be for the day.

TBC...

* * *

><p><strong>So sorry this took so long but I have been fighting a cold so it's been a little slow with the writing. Hope you enjoyed this long chapter!<br>**


	7. Do you promise?

**Chapter 6**

A week went by and they fell into a routine of sorts. Nick would drive Henry to school and then, park outside the window to the classroom while the boy was in school. He would keep an eye on the video feed from the A/V unit that Henry wore while maintaining surveillance on the school. It wasn't the most ideal situation but it was better than nothing.

Rain would accompany Carrie on her wanderings through the city as she took her pictures. They had fallen into a nice working relationship, after Rain made it clear to the cute blonde that nothing would be happening between them while she was her bodyguard. Carrie had accepted that, once she realized that after JJ's stalker was caught and the danger was over, she would be able to try again with Rain. They started to get to know each other and, within the week, they were friends.

Emily drove JJ to the set of her TV show every day and hung around off camera as she taped her scenes. When the show went on location on the streets of L.A., Emily stayed on the sidelines and kept a close eye on everything, making sure no one got too close to Jennifer who wasn't supposed to. After filming ended for the day, Emily would drive JJ home.

JJ usually spent her time away from the set at her home. She relaxed by the pool or she would help Henry with his homework and then watch movies with him until his bedtime.

Emily was surprised when she found out that Jennifer wasn't like the other celebrities she had guarded in the past. They had always wanted to go out clubbing or to be seen and photographed, even after they knew there was someone who was stalking them. They hadn't cared and had the foolish idea that if they changed their usual routine, then the stalker would 'win'. In reality, the stalker only won if he got to his target.

Still, despite how easy JJ seemed to make her job, it wasn't a cakewalk. Aside from the task of keeping Jennifer safe, Emily was also responsible for making sure the grounds were protected and secure. At night, when everyone was in for the night, Emily sent Nick and Rain home. She needed them rested and alert so they could keep Henry and Carrie safe. Emily knew that if anything happened to them, she'd lose all the cooperation she was getting from Jennifer.

At night, Emily was responsible for all three of them and she was okay with that, knowing that Ziva and Myka were patrolling the grounds at night and watching the surveillance cameras. Luckily, Derek's team was almost done with their assignment. The Princess was going to be returning to her country in two days. Once that happened, Derek's team would be assigned to back up her team at this job.

Emily was already planning out where to use them. She figured she could put Liam with Nick, Sam with Rain and keep Lindsey with her. Derek and David would join Ziva and Myka on their patrols of the grounds. Satisfied with her plan, Emily made one final sweep of the house, making sure all the doors and windows were closed and locked, and that the alarm was activated for the night before she walked into the living room and turned on the TV with the volume set low.

Emily stretched out on the couch, preferring to be out there rather than the guest bedroom Jennifer had offered her. The bedroom was too closed in, too far from the front and back doors for Emily's comfort. It was also too close to Jennifer's bedroom for her libido to handle so she stayed in the living room. Emily lay listening to the sounds of the house settling and soothed herself by identifying the source of each sound. After a few minutes, she turned her attention to the television and noticed that it was airing an old episode of Jennifer's show. Emily's eyes followed the blonde's form as it crossed the screen and dominated the scene. She truly was a sight to behold and, despite having spent the last week on the set watching her film her scenes, she was still captivated by the sight of her on the television.

Emily was so engrossed in the episode that she didn't hear the sound of footsteps behind her. It was only her years of training that kept her from jumping so high she dented the ceiling when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Emily turned around to face the owner of the hand and was surprised to see two soft blue eyes looking at her.

Emily smiled gently and said, **"Hey Henry, what are you doing awake buddy?"**

Henry rubbed his eyes as he tried to wipe the sleep from them. He'd had a bad dream and had woken up confused and disoriented. His first instinct was usually to run to his mother's room but for some reason, tonight he'd gone looking for Emily.

**"I had a bad dream."**

Emily felt her heart melt a little at that, and she leaned closer to the small boy and reached out. Henry easily moved into her embrace and she held him close. **"It's okay buddy. Bad dreams can't hurt you."**

Henry cuddled into Emily's arms, not even wondering why he did it, he just knew that Emily made him feel safe. After a few moments of silence, Henry looked up and into Emily's eyes and asked, **"Emily?"**

The soft, scared voice almost tore at Emily's heart, no kid should ever have to sound that scared. **"Yes?"**

**"Are you gonna catch the bad man?"** Henry wasn't stupid, he knew there was a bad man who was after his mom and him. He'd heard the adults talking about it when they thought he wasn't paying attention.

Emily needed a moment to process what she'd just been asked. Like the other adults, she hadn't thought that Henry was paying any attention to the conversations of the house. Emily had assumed that because he'd accepted their presence without a lot of questions, and because he'd never looked like he was interested in what was going on, that he was oblivious to what was really happening. Now she knew that wasn't the case and she needed a moment to figure out how to answer him. **"The bad man?"**

**"Yeah...the bad man that wants to hurt my mom and me. Are you going to catch him?"**

**"Is that what your dream was about, a bad man?"** Emily wondered if Henry was dreaming about a bad man and hadn't actually heard anything.

Henry nodded, not saying any more, waiting for Emily's answer.

Emily's voice dropped a level as she asked carefully, **"Henry, can you tell me about your dream?"**

Henry cuddled closer into Emily, needing the sense of safety that the woman gave him before he was able to say, **"mom and me were in the yard, just playing, and then the bad man was there, but I didn't see his face. Mom called out for help, no one came and the bad man said he..."** Henry faltered for a moment before he took a breath and continued, **"he said he killed you and everybody else and that no one was gonna save us. He had a gun and he made mom stand up and go with him or he'd kill me too. I watched mom leave with him and I screamed for her to come back, that's when I woke up."** By this point Henry was crying again just remembering the dream and the sight of his mother leaving with the bad man.

Emily hugged the boy closer as she tried to reassure him, **"Henry I promise that no one is going to hurt you or your mom or your aunt Carrie. I won't let that happen kiddo."** Emily pulled back enough to look the boy in his eyes, **"I'm going to stop the bad man before he gets close to any of you."**

Henry looked at Emily and sensed she was telling the truth. **"promise?"**

**"I promise Henry."**

Henry smiled then at Emily, trusting her, in a way that only little kids can trust, to keep her promise. He once again cuddled into Emily hugging her tightly.

Emily held Henry for a little while longer before she pulled back and said, **"Hey, let's get you back to your room okay? You need to get some sleep."**

Henry looked up at Emily, **"Will you come with me?"**

**"Of course. Let's go."**

Emily helped Henry stand from the couch and took his hand. Together, they walked through the house to the boy's bedroom. Emily got Henry into bed and tucked him in. She even sat with him until he fell asleep again.

Emily stood in the doorway for a moment, watching the young boy sleep. He was so innocent, and he just trusted her to 'get the bad man' without question. It was a big thing for Emily and she took a moment to let it settle into her brain.

After a few moments, she turned from the room and went back to the living room. She settled back onto the couch and stared at the television without really seeing it as she thought back to Henry's dream. She was more determined than ever now to stop this stalker before he got any closer to Jennifer and her family.

* * *

><p>The ceramic mug flew across the small space and shattered against the wall. The sight and sound of it caused a small burst of satisfaction in him as he struggled to control his rage. He still couldn't believe she'd gone out and hired a bodyguard.<p>

He'd been following her for a little while, waiting for the right moment to approach her, when he noticed that she had someone new with her. At first, he dismissed it, thinking that she had hired a new assistant or publicist. But then, when the woman went everywhere with her and even started spending the night at her house, he started to realize that she wasn't a mere assistant...her body language screamed bodyguard once he took the time to really notice her.

He knew now he'd have to alter his plans, his method of approach. It wouldn't do him any good to initiate a confrontation with the bodyguard. He knew that if he was going to have a chance with her now, he was going to have to play the sympathy card. He was going to have to provoke her guard into hitting him, while making himself look like just a fan who wanted an autograph. He detested having to play the victim, the weak one, but he knew that if he wanted to get close to her, to make her notice him again, he was going to have to do something drastic.

Leaving the shattered remains of the coffee mug on the floor, he made his way back to his bed and laid down. His face broke out into a smile as a plan formulated in his head. Before too long he drifted to sleep, thinking about how she would react when he took the hit. How she would cradle his head and whisper soothing words in his ear. Yeah, it was going to be so sweet, slipping in behind the line of defense and charming her into choosing him over that guard. His last thought before sleep claimed him was that once they were together, he was going to get so much satisfaction out of getting rid of that guard...and anyone else who tried to get between them.

TBC...

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry this took so long, life kinda got in the way. Hope this installment is worth the wait!<strong>


	8. Stepping It Up

**Chapter 7**

A few days later, Derek's team joined Emily's at the Jareau home. Emily introduced the newcomers to Miss Jareau and her family. JJ was a little concerned at first that all the new people might scare Henry but she soon realized that he was taking it all in stride.

Emily put Liam with Nick on Henry's personal detail, knowing that she could trust both men to keep the little boy safe. Her next task was to assign Sam to work with Rain on Carrie's protection. With two women on the detail, there was no where they couldn't follow Carrie, and without a man present, no one would think Carrie had a bodyguard. Sam and Rain could easily pass as Carrie's friends to avoid tipping off the stalker, in case he was watching Carrie as well.

She assigned Derek, Lindsey, and David to back up Myka on grounds patrol while putting Ziva with her as Jennifer's personal guard. Given their long history and Ziva's Mossad background, Emily knew she could trust Ziva to back her up.

* * *

><p>JJ was at the studio, between scenes and she was in her dressing room with Emily when there was a knock on the door. JJ automatically stood up to answer it, not even thinking anything of it because Ziva was standing guard at the door.<p>

Emily immediately put herself between JJ and the door and, without looking at the blonde actress, she said, **"Let me get that, okay?"**

JJ, not thinking there was any danger here at the studio, asked, **"Why? It's just Ziva."**

Emily held back a sharp retort and simply said, **"Humor me, okay Miss Jareau?"** Emily purposely used her formal title to illustrate that she wasn't there as a friend, she was there to do a job.

JJ heard the tone in Emily's voice and she backed down. She hated it when Emily reverted to calling her Miss Jareau, because she didn't want the distance it put between them. JJ's crush on her bodyguard was growing more and more with each passing day and she was more determined than ever to find a way to have Emily in her life as her lover. For the time being, however, she realized that backing down was the best way to go.

**"Okay, knock yourself out."**JJ backed away and sat back down on the small loveseat she'd been reclining in as she waited for the next scene she was in to start filming.

Emily relaxed her shoulders and just nodded as she walked to the door. She placed her right hand on the grip of her gun at her back and carefully opened the door.

Standing there was a short brunette wearing a headset and carrying a clipboard. Emily recognized her as one of the assistants on the show that routinely came to tell the actors when they were needed. At the moment, however, the girl's name escaped her. **"Yes?"**

The younger girl looked a little intimidated by the taller brunette and she quickly glanced behind her to see if Miss Jareau was in the room. **"Miss Jareau? Mr. Harris said to tell you that you're needed on set in five minutes to shoot the courtroom scene."**

JJ smiled sweetly at the young girl, **"Thank you Kennedy. I'll be right there."**

Kennedy nodded and began to turn away but then she remembered she had something else for the actress and she turned back around, **"Oh, I almost forgot. This came to the studio addressed to you but it somehow landed in Mr. Harris' mailbox instead, so I figured I'd bring it to you myself, save you a trip back to the mailroom."**Kennedy lifted a letter-sized yellow envelope and began to hand it to JJ.

Emily, who'd been observing the interaction, stepped forward when she noticed there was no return address on the envelope. **"Um, Kennedy, would you mind just setting that on the table over there please?"**Emily indicated a small table in the corner of the room.

Kennedy, though confused, looked to JJ for approval. When JJ nodded, Kennedy took a few steps and placed the envelope on the table. She then quickly left the room, eager to be away from the scary older woman.

Emily looked out the door and noticed Ziva standing nearby, ever on alert. Emily caught her eye and motioned her closer. When Ziva was close enough, Emily said, in a low voice, **"Call Derek, get him over here with an evidence bag just in case."** Ziva just nodded and pulled out her cell phone.

Emily went back in the room and smiled to herself when she saw that Jennifer was still sitting on the couch. The envelope lay on the table where Kennedy had left it. Emily began walking towards it.

JJ couldn't hold back any longer and she asked, **"What was that all about?"**

Emily turned to look at her, **"There's no return address on the envelope. I'm just being cautious is all."** Emily turned back to the table and reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pair of latex gloves. She quickly slipped them on and carefully picked up the envelope.

After ensuring that there wasn't anything dangerous about the envelope, she carefully opened it and pulled out the sheet of paper inside. It was the typical crazy person letter made of cut out magazine letters. Emily read it twice before she placed it down and took a breath.

JJ, not being able to see what was in the envelope because Emily's body was blocking it, asked, **"Well? What is it?"**

Rather than answer, Emily lifted her left hand and motioned for Jennifer to join her. JJ slowly stood up and walked over. Before she could move to stand in front of Emily, the brunette lifted her hand again and stopped her. She couldn't risk Jennifer getting too close and contaminating any evidence the letter might contain, such as DNA or fingerprints.

Jennifer stopped and looked at the table at the letter. She read it carefully and felt the bile rise in her throat. She quickly ran to the other side of the room were the small bathroom was and bent over the toilet and promptly lost her lunch. The things in the letter about herself were sickening enough, but the letter also mentioned Henry and that was the last straw for the blonde actress. This sick freak had threatened her son and JJ wasn't going to take that lying down.

Emily waited while Jennifer composed herself, knowing she couldn't afford to lose it too, even though the threat to the little boy who was his mother's whole world was threatening to make her lose her own lunch. She had to be strong and keep a clear head so she could capture this guy and put him away.

There was another knock on the door and again, Emily gripped her gun as she went to answer the door. She carefully opened it and smiled when she saw Derek standing there. She immediately let him in and, after ensuring Ziva was still okay guarding the door, she closed it and turned to Derek. **"Did you bring it?"**

Derek just nodded. After all their years working together, he had learned to not question Emily much. He pulled out the evidence bag that always reminded him of his days in law enforcement and handed it over.

Emily took it and carefully placed the letter and the envelope inside and sealed it. She carefully labeled it and then handed it to Derek. **"Please get this to Oracle and Gate Keeper. I need them to run prints and DNA sweeps on it. ASAP."**

Derek nodded then looked at the letter. He read it and then looked up at Emily, his eyes hard at the thought of someone harming an innocent child. **"We'll get him Emily. I think we might want to consider calling the BAU for this one. We could use the federal muscle when we catch him."**Derek's eyes told Emily what he'd left out, that if there wasn't any official law enforcement around when they caught his guy, he might not make it to the police station for processing. Derek had a very personal reason for hating people who hurt or threatened little kids.

Emily thought about his suggestion and nodded, **"I'll call them tonight, see if they can back us up when the time comes."** They were talking about their former co-workers and friends, Jason Gideon, David Rossi and Spencer Reid. They were the three main leads in the BAU now and Emily and Derek knew that if they needed them, they would be there.

Derek nodded then left to bring the letter to their tech and forensic team for analysis.

Once Derek was gone, Emily walked to the bathroom and found Jennifer at the sink rinsing out her mouth. **"I sent the letter and envelope to our forensic team. They'll run it for any forensic evidence."**

JJ just nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Emily reached out, against her better judgment and cupped Jennifer's face and turned her to face her. She looked her right in the eyes and said, in her strongest, most reassuring voice, **"We **_**will**_** stop him Jennifer, and we **_**will**_** keep Henry safe. This guy won't get near either of you, I promise you."**

JJ looked into Emily's eyes and she could see the truth in them. In that moment, she placed all of her trust in the woman standing in front of her. In her heart, she knew Emily would keep her and Henry safe. JJ nodded, **"I know you will Emily. Thank you."**

Emily just smiled, **"Good. Now, I believe that girl said something about you being needed on set?"**

JJ grinned, Emily had been in her life, with her on the set for weeks now and she still couldn't remember Kennedy's name, even though she interacted with the younger girl on a daily basis. **"Her name is Kennedy and yes, they're about to shoot a courtroom scene where I get to sit on the witness stand and testify in a murder trial as the lead detective on the case."**JJ's tone was somewhere between informative and annoyed. She loved her job but she hated shooting scenes where she didn't get to chase someone down or slap cuffs on someone or do anything else but sit down and talk about the case. It's the main reason why most of the scenes where they had to go over evidence was done standing up or during a walk and talk in the halls. Sitting down in a chair or on a witness stand was very boring for JJ, who loved being active, but she knew it was necessary when filming a cop show.

Emily nodded then headed for the door. She cracked it open and caught Ziva's eye before motioning her closer.

Ziva, while still being completely aware of her surroundings, moved closer to Emily. **"yes?"**

**"We're heading to the set to shoot the scene. Make sure it's all clear."**

Ziva gave a curt nod before she slipped away to make sure that there was no one out of place and no possible way for someone to sneak in and get close to their client without her or Emily being able to put him down.

Emily pulled out her cell phone and sent Nick a text alerting him to the threat against the boy so that he and Liam could be on even higher alert.

When Ziva returned to the door with the all clear signal, Emily ushered Jennifer into the hallway and fell into step on her right while Ziva walked on her left. Together, the three of them headed to the set.

JJ used the time to clear her mind of everything but her lines and the scene so that she could hopefully get it done in one take.

Emily and Ziva were on high alert as they walked and searched the rooms and crowds for anything out of place. Finding nothing, they reached the set and handed their client off to the director, Alex Harris, who had already been checked out by Gatekeeper and Oracle.

Emily and Ziva stood off to the side, out of the view of the cameras, and observed as the scenes were shot for the rest of the day.

At the end of the day, they fell into step with JJ and escorted her first to her dressing room for her things and then to the car to drive her home. Ziva kept looking over her shoulder but couldn't explain, when asked, why she was doing it other than to mumble vaguely that it felt like she was being watched.

* * *

><p>He stood there, next to the craft services table and watched them. His initial plan of garnering sympathy by forcing the bodyguard to hit him was derailed when he noticed <em>another<em> guard had been added. One guard was easier to provoke than two...especially if the other one was able to keep the first one calm. No, he had to find another way to get close to her. So he got a job as a runner on the set. He ran around most of the time on errands for the director and he hated it, but it kept him close to her.

When he saw their demeanor on the set, constantly running their eyes over everyone there, including him, he could tell that they'd read his letter to her. In retrospect, he probably shouldn't have mentioned the boy, but it certainly got their attention in a hurry.

When he saw them lead her out of the building, he grinned smugly. Soon, he would make his move and she would be his...he even wouldn't mind becoming the boy's daddy, instant family had a nice ring to it.

He smiled again before he began to pack his things away and leave the set, the whole time thinking that soon, he would have everything he ever wanted...he just had to get rid of the bodyguards.

TBC...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry this update took so long...hope it was worth the wait. I hope to update again soon but I make no promises. (There was a slight error that was pointed out to me and so I fixed it.)<strong>


	9. Reinforcements, Backup and a Suspect

**AN: So sorry this took so long. Stuff got in the way and I kinda lost track of this one but I'm back on it for now. Though, after this I'll be picking a different story to update so that you all can enjoy this one before I overload you with another chapter. Hoep you enjoy it! **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Gatekeeper and Oracle had been working around the clock for days as they ran the usual forensic sweeps over the letters that had been dropped off by their client's agent and made a priority by their boss Emily Prentiss.

They were checking for fingerprints and DNA and anything else they could use to identify the stalker. So far the guy had been careful but they knew that sooner or later, he'd slip up and they would catch him. It was only a matter of time.

-PitS-

It was about an hour before lunchtime and Emily was sitting on Jennifer's deck while the blond actress took advantage of her day off and swam laps in the pool. Henry was at school and Carrie was out for the day. They were alone, with the exception of Myka and Lindsey, who were patrolling the perimeter. Derek and David would be there later to relieve them for the night shift.

Emily kept an eye on the surrounding area as she picked up her cell phone and dialed David Rossi's direct line at the BAU. She knew Derek had been right about calling in their former co-workers. She didn't need a profile but she was going to need some 'official' backup when they caught the guy. Emily hated it when she had to acknowledge that she didn't have the authority anymore to arrest the bad guys. Emily kept a careful eye on Jennifer's progress through the water as she waited for Rossi to pick up his phone.

**"Rossi."** Emily smiled at the familiar voice of the older man who had, at one point, been almost a surrogate father figure to her.

**"Rossi, it's Emily, how are you?"** Emily decided to start with some small talk before she leapt right into the asking for a favor part of the conversation.

David Rossi grinned when he heard Emily's voice. He had missed her and Derek ever since they left the BAU. **"I'm fine Emily. We just got back from Colorado yesterday and so far it looks like we've been given a bit of a break. What's new?"**

Emily was glad that it looked like the team would be free to help her out. **"I have a stalker out here in La La Land that is proving a bit elusive. I was wondering if I could talk you, Gideon and Reid into coming out here to help me out for a bit."**

**"You're calling in profilers?"** Rossi's voice was tinged with a bit of incredulity. Emily almost never asked for their help with a case, mostly because she was such a great profiler that she never really needed their help. **"Are you losing your touch there Emily?"** He liked teasing the younger former agent.

Emily just grinned as her eyes continued to track Jennifer through her laps. **"Nothing like that old man, it's not a profiler thing. I was remembering that I don't have any official authority to arrest anyone and I could use the federal muscle when I catch this guy."** Emily lowered her tone a bit as she explained, **"he threatened my client's son Rossi...you know how Derek is about kids being threatened or hurt. I don't want to have to bail him out of jail if he goes off when we catch this guy. I figure if you're all there, he'll control himself, you know what I mean?"**

Rossi nodded to himself, he remembered how Derek was about the kids. Derek's own painful past gave him insight into crimes involving children and obsessive disorders, but his temper was always on a hair trigger when kids got involved. **"Yeah I remember. When would you need us there?"**

**"The sooner the better. I have my techs working their science magic so it's only a matter of time."**

David looked at his calendar and then he said, **"Well, I'm in. I'll talk to the others and as long as another case doesn't come in, we'll probably be there by tomorrow afternoon, sound good?"**

Emily smiled, **"That sounds perfect. Thanks Rossi. See you tomorrow."**

They hung up and Emily put her phone aside. She took a moment to sweep her eyes over the grounds and she easily spotted Myka and Lindsey on opposite sides of the yard, watching the grounds and the perimeter. She smiled at their efficiency.

She didn't notice that Jennifer wasn't swimming anymore until she saw someone sit next to her at the small round table. She turned her head and had to swallow against a suddenly dry throat when she noticed that Jennifer was sitting there, water still clinging to her shoulders and her hair slicked back. The blue one-piece swimsuit she wore was modestly cut, but for some reason it looked positively illegal on the blonde's toned body. Jennifer was smiling, and if she hadn't been wearing sunglasses, Emily was certain her eyes would be sparkling as well. **"Hi."**

JJ looked at her bodyguard and for the hundredth time since they first met, she wished they had met some other way, so that she could be free to seduce the brunette without worrying about some stupid fan or Emily's rules about sleeping with her clients. Still, she smiled, determined to use this time with Emily as an opportunity to get to know the other woman before she found a way to get her into her bed. **"Hey, who was that on the phone?"**

Emily's eyes darted to the cell phone on the table before she looked back up at the blonde. **"Just...an old friend."**

JJ took that in and tried very hard not to pry or feel upset about the short answer. She nodded, **"I see. Okay well...I was actually wondering if you wanted to take a dip in the pool? The water is perfect."** JJ smiled sweetly at Emily.

Emily just shook her head, **"Thanks Miss Jareau but I'm fine right where I am."** Emily felt the need to put some distance between them right then, because just the sight of Jennifer in her swimsuit was enough to make her start questioning why she didn't sleep with clients.

JJ just sat back in her chair and looked around the yard. She easily spotted the other two ladies on Emily's team as they walked around the edge of the yard. Then she turned her gaze back to Emily, **"Hey um, do you know what time it is?"**

Emily picked up her phone again and checked the time, **"It's 12:02, why?"**

JJ smiled, **"I knew there was a reason my stomach was growling. It's lunchtime. I'm going to go inside and make something. Why don't you call Myka and Lindsey inside so they can have some too?"** JJ stood up then and began to walk towards the glass doors that led to the kitchen.

Emily reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could get too far, **"They can't leave their posts, and you know that Miss Jareau. Just go on inside and make your lunch, I'll deal with my people."**

Emily let go of her wrist then and watched as Jennifer walked into the house. She sat there for a moment, thinking about all the ways her current client was going to be the death of her.

After about a minute, Emily stood up and entered the house, determined to keep the blond in her sights, despite the safety of the house. She refused to admit, even to herself, that she just wanted to be in the other woman's presence.

Emily walked into the kitchen and noticed that Jennifer was still wearing her swimsuit but she had wrapped a silky sarong around her waist. It looked perfect on her and Emily mentally shook herself to stop the NC-17 rated images that were running through her head at that moment.

JJ, for her part, was trying very hard to act normal. She felt Emily's eyes on her the entire time she was preparing her lunch. She made a few sandwiches, mostly from the large packs of cold cuts she kept in the fridge. Despite what Emily had said earlier, JJ made enough sandwiches for both herself and Emily as well as Myka and Lindsey. She wanted to do something nice for them since they were out there all day in the LA heat.

* * *

><p>The next day, Emily pulled Myka to cover for her at the studio with Jennifer and Ziva while she met with Rossi, Gideon, Reid and a new BAU agent, Alex Blake. Derek covered for Myka at the house with Lindsey. Blake was a linguistic expert and Rossi asked her to come along to help with the letters. Maybe she could glean something new from the writing that Emily and her team hadn't seen yet.<p>

Emily welcomed Blake's insight and she left her in the lair with Gatekeeper and Oracle while she spoke with her former colleagues in the conference room.

Alex Blake sat in a chair in the lair and looked at the two techs who were busy running tests and checking results. They looked like polar opposites but they worked as if they were one person. It frankly fascinated Alex and she took a moment to observe them before she turned her attention to the letters the stalker had sent so far.

After the first few letters, Alex looked up and said to the woman, **"Um, Gatekeeper?"**

Abby turned to face the visiting agent and smiled, she may not like change, but she was willing to work with someone who might help them catch this guy. **"Yes Agent Blake?"**

Alex smiled, glad she'd gotten the name right, **"can you find out for me what Miss Jareau's travel schedule has been for the last 18 months?"**

Abby frowned, **"Sure, but why?"**

**"These letters, the linguistic style of them suggests someone who was raised in the deep south of the United States. Certain key phrases keep appearing that are really only used in places like Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. I want to know if she's been to any of those places recently."**

Abby nodded, **"Oh, okay. Sure just give me a few minutes."** Abby turned back to her computers and began typing away as she searched for the information Blake had asked her for.

Meanwhile, Kevin was in his own world as he kept an eye on the computer screens that were running the few partial fingerprints they'd managed to lift from the letters through every database in existence that wasn't classified by Homeland Security.

After a few moments, Abby turned to Blake, **"Okay, it turns out Miss Jareau hasn't gone out of town in the last 18 months, however, she was in New Orleans about three years ago filming a movie."**

Alex began sorting through the letters and the envelopes for a moment until she found the one that was postmarked October of 2008. It seemed to be the earliest letter and Alex did a quick calculation. **"Okay, that's something. The letters started in October of 2008 from what I can tell, so that means the stalker must've encountered her when she was in town. Can you find out if anyone moved from Louisiana to California around that time?"**

Abby grinned, **"Actually, Oracle is better at that kind of search. Hey Kevin, a little help?"**

Kevin, who had been following the conversation while he monitored the print runs, turned to Abby and grinned, **"Monitor 4 Abby."**

Abby turned to monitor 4 and smiled when she saw that Kevin had already run the search while she and Alex had been talking. She quickly printed out the five names and handed the sheet to Alex. **"Five people. Four men and one woman. Now normally I'd rule out a female stalker but, given some of the things I've read in the letters, I am not going to discount the possibility of a female stalker. Take the list to the others and see if they can help narrow it down."**

Alex took the list and smiled, **"Thank you Abby, Kevin. I'll be back soon."**

Alex left the lair and headed to the conference room. She knocked on the door before walking in and sitting down. **"The techs managed to narrow down the list of possibles to these five people."** She handed the list to Emily, knowing that the former agent was the uncontested leader on this case.

Emily took the list and studied it. **"Well, I think we can rule out the woman. The profile reads male to me."** Emily was about to hand the list to the others when the fourth one down caught her eye. It looked far too familiar.

Emily picked up the phone in the middle of the table and dialed the extension of the lair. Abby picked up on the second ring, **"Gatekeeper of all Knowledge, talk to me."**

Emily gave a small grin before she said, **"Abby, I need you to give me everything you can find on William LaMontagne Jr. I think he's the stalker."**

**"You got it boss. I'll send it to the conference room as soon as I have it. Gatekeeper out."**

Emily hung up the phone and looked at the others, **"That name is familiar. We ran checks on everyone that works at the studio, the boy's school, the pool cleaning service, and the manager's office. Somewhere in that mess, is this guy's name."**

Rossi, Reid and Gideon looked at each other then turned to Emily. Gideon was the first to speak, **"Good to know you haven't lost your touch as a profiler. So we really are here just to provide legal backup huh?"**

**"Yeah. Thanks again by the way for coming down on such short notice."**

The men all nodded, each knowing that Emily knew they would always be there for her and Derek.

A few minutes later, there was a beep followed by the big flat screen monitor turning on and all the information Emily requested on LaMontagne Jr popped up on screen. Emily looked up at the screen and began to read the information. She felt a chill run down her spine when she realized that LaMontagne was working at the studio where Jennifer filmed her show. He had access to her on an almost daily basis.

The room was silent for a moment before Reid turned to Emily and asked, **"So...how do you want to handle this Emily?"**

Emily turned to the younger agent and smiled when she saw the look of genuine concern on his face. She knew that he missed having her and Derek around in DC, but this was her new calling and she couldn't turn away from it. She also knew the BAU was Reid's calling and that he would never leave it.

She took a breath then said, **"That's where this gets tricky."**

The three men and Alex looked at Emily then, curious. It was Gideon that finally spoke up, **"Because he hasn't done anything yet has he?"**

Emily slowly shook her head, **"Not yet."**

There was a moment of silence before Alex Blake spoke up, **"Then how are we going to arrest him?"**

Because Jennifer's stalker hadn't done anything more than send a few letters, and there was still no definitive way to prove even that much, there was nothing they could arrest him for. Until he actually made a move, they couldn't do much except keep an eye on the situation and wait for him to make his move. It was frustrating as hell and Emily once again remembered why she hated law enforcement when it came to stalker cases. Often times, the cops couldn't intervene or really do much of anything until someone was hurt. By then, it was often too late anyway.

Emily looked around the room, trying to figure out a way around the law to stop this guy.

Rossi sat back from the table and looked at his friends before he turned to Emily. He knew it wouldn't be a popular plan but he didn't see any other way to get the job done, short of letting Derek loose on this LaMontagne guy, and that wasn't an option. He cleared his throat and said, **"Have you considered the idea of drawing this guy out? Force him to make his move?"**

Emily turned to the older agent, **"how would you suggest we do that? He's been extremely patient so far."**

Rossi shifted in his seat, looking down at the table as he suggested, **"Maybe we need to...create an opportunity for this LaMontagne to act."**

Emily looked at Rossi for a moment before she realized what he was saying, **"Are you actually suggesting we use my client as bait for a stalker?"**

Gideon chose that moment to speak up, having been content before to simply listen,

"Emily, it may be the only way to make a patient stalker act. And it's not like she wouldn't be well protected, we can work it so that he doesn't get close enough to her to actually harm her. Just close enough to give us a reason to arrest him."

Emily looked to Gideon and took a moment to think about what they were suggesting. It was possible but she was loathe to put Jennifer in harm's way. **"Gentlemen, and Agent Blake, can you give me a few hours to think this through? The plan has merit but I need to make sure all the bases are covered and that Miss Jareau is up for it as well. I suggest we call it a day and meet back here tomorrow morning. By then, I'll have spoken with the client and also, hopefully, come up with a viable way to make this happen. I've arranged for rooms for you all at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Please, enjoy yourselves and we'll meet back here tomorrow around 11am. Sound good?"**

The FBI agents looked at each other then nodded in agreement. After a moment, they left the building and headed for their hotel.

Emily sat at the table for a moment, thinking about how she was going to ask Jennifer to be the bait in a trap for a psychotic stalker.

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, Jennifer's living room was filled to capacity with her security team as well as four FBI agents and her sister Carrie. Henry, thankfully, was in his room playing with his Wii and wouldn't come downstairs until his mommy called him. She had told him the grown-ups needed to talk and he had to stay in his room until they were done. Even at seven years old, Henry seemed to understand how important this was so he agreed without fuss.<p>

So now, Jennifer sat on the couch as she listened to Emily tell her about who she thought the stalker was and then outline a plan to draw him out and make him make a move. It sounded simple enough but she was a little scared that something would go wrong.

When Emily was done talking, a silence fell on the room and Jennifer took that moment to look right at the brunette and ask, **"so what happens if he doesn't take the bait?"**

Emily turned to glance at the FBI agents for a moment before she looked back at Jennifer and said, **"I believe he will take the bait, if for no other reason than he's waited long enough to have you. I was a profiler for the FBI before I left and started Safe Haven. I know what's making this guy tick and right now, in his mind, he's waited far too long and as soon as the opportunity presents itself, he **_**will**_** act and he **_**will**_** make his move. He feels entitled to have you as his own and as patient as he's been, that patience is running fairly thin right now."**

JJ nodded to herself as she absorbed what Emily was saying. She wanted to ask the others if they agreed with Emily's assessment but one look at the faces of everyone in the room and it was clear they did...even Carrie looked convinced.

**"Okay then. Looks like I'm going to be the bait in the trap. How soon can we put this into motion?"** JJ was determined to see this through now and hoped this plan would work. If it did, then maybe when the dust settled, she would have a chance to finally seduce her bodyguard.

Emily looked to Reid and smiled, **"Provided Spencer is ready for his acting debut, we can do this as early as tomorrow. You ready Spencer?"**

Dr. Spencer Reid didn't like being put on the spot but he had to admit, he liked being the linchpin in the plan. He looked over at the beautiful blonde actress and felt a blush creep up his neck. He knew he'd never stand a shot with someone so beautiful and so obviously out of his league but he couldn't help being attracted to her. He glanced over at Ziva, **"As long as Ziva promises not to break anything, then yeah I'm ready."**

Ziva smiled at the young agent/doctor. He was cute in a nerdish kind of way...he almost reminded her of McGee. She liked him, he had a baby bird vibe about him. **"Do not worry Dr. Reid, I promise I won't break anything."** She gave a short bow in his direction, a sign of respect in her country.

Reid nodded, **"great."**

Emily took control of the conversation again. **"Good. Okay so everyone knows their roles, right?"** All around the room there were nods and murmurs of agreement. Everyone in that room knew what to do and were eager to help JJ get rid of this stalker once and for all. **"That settles it then. Derek, David I want you two on night patrol here. Everyone else, go home and get some sleep. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day. Reid, I need you to be in position no later than 10 am tomorrow okay?"**

**"You got it."**

**"Good. Until tomorrow then."**

Everyone then stood up and left the house. Derek and David took the perimeter patrol for the night, knowing their roles tomorrow wouldn't start until 10 am and by that time, Myka and Lindsey will have already relieved them of their night patrol at 6am. They would have three hours or so to rest and prepare before they too got into position.

Nick and Liam would stay with Henry, the boy would be missing school tomorrow so they could stay at the house with him and Carrie while Rain and Sam backed Derek and David up on their assignment.

The FBI guys would have their own roles to play and Spencer Reid was going to be at the center of it all.

Pretty soon, the only ones in the house were Jennifer, Carrie, Henry and Emily who would be sleeping in the living room again to make sure any perimeter breaches didn't get past her.

The house went dark and soon they were all asleep, or in Emily's case, silently brooding on the couch about all the things that could go wrong tomorrow and all the ways she would prevent each possible mistake from happening.

* * *

><p><em>He noticed two extra cars leaving her driveway tonight. She must've had a party or something. He smiled to himself as he thought about the kind of party he wanted to have with her...and it wouldn't involve no one but the two of them.<em>

_He chuckled low in his throat as he thought about her and all the ways he would take her in that house once he made his move and she was his. _

_After a few more minutes, the house went dark and he waited a moment before he pulled away from the curb and drove back to the trailer park. Soon...soon she would be his and he would have everything he's been wanting for the last three years. Nothing and no one was going to stand in his way. _

_TBC... _


	10. Is it Over?

**AN: I know it's been a long time (January 2013 actually) since the last update. I apologize. First other stories called my attention then I lost my hard drive in June. This is a small chapter but it's mostly filler before we get to the good stuff. Hope it doesn't suck.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 9<span>**

The next morning, JJ awoke to the warm feeling of the sun shining through her bedroom window. She loved waking up to the sunshine, one of the many reasons why she loved living in California. The sun was almost always shining and JJ loved feeling the warmth of it on her skin.

She rose from her bed and slowly made her way over to the master bathroom, ready to begin her day. It wasn't until she was standing under the spray of hot water that she remembered what was happening today. Her hands froze in their travels over her body with the soapy washcloth as she realized that, if everything went according to Emily's plan, her stalker would be in police custody by the end of the day. JJ felt a shiver run down her spine despite the heat and steam of the shower as she thought about what that would mean…for her and Emily.

Once her stalker was safely tucked away in a prison cell, JJ would be free to actively seduce her beautiful bodyguard. JJ smiled as she thought of all the things she wanted to do to and with that sexy body Emily hid beneath her clothes.

She finished her shower, a little more turned on than she was when she woke up, and wearing only her panties, bra and a robe, she made her way down to the kitchen to get the coffee started before she woke Henry.

JJ walked through the living room and she smiled when she noticed that Emily was asleep on the couch. JJ stopped walking for a moment as she silently observed the sleeping woman. It was rare to find Emily asleep, JJ had only ever woken up before the dark haired bodyguard once before and even then she knew it was a rare and beautiful gift to be able to see Emily like this. She had vowed that first time, to see it again…in the morning after they spent the night pleasuring each other well into the early morning hours.

JJ was on her way back through the living room to wake up Henry before she got dressed when she noticed Emily was wide awake now sitting on the couch. JJ smiled at her bodyguard. **"Good morning. How'd you sleep?"**

Emily smiled up at her client, realizing she was probably naked under that robe and the thought made Emily smile. She knew that after today, she wouldn't have the excuse of being on the job to keep her own emotions and desires at bay. Emily cleared her throat, **"Slept fine. Are you…are you ready for today?"**

JJ thought about her role in Emily's plan. She grinned, **"I'm ready. Best role of my life…aside from being a mom that is."**

Emily just nodded as her eyes strayed towards the stairs. She thought about Henry and wondered if, after this assignment was over, she'd ever see him again. She also wondered why she was feeling sad over the thought of not seeing him or Jennifer again. Kids had never been in any of her plans for her life after what happened when she was 15, but there was something about Henry that tugged at her heart.

Emily turned back to Jennifer, **"well, hopefully this will be the end of your stalker problem. When he makes his move, we'll grab him and he'll be locked away for a long time."**

JJ nodded, **"I hope you're right Emily. Well I better go get Henry up and then get dressed."**

JJ left the room and went up the stairs, the whole time she felt the heat of Emily's gaze on her body and she smiled, realizing Emily felt the same as she did and it was only a matter of time before they would be free to act on their desires.

* * *

><p>JJ arrived at the studio just before 9 am with Emily and Ziva following her. They made it all the way to JJ's dressing room before Kennedy stopped them. <strong>"Um, Miss Jareau?"<strong>

JJ turned to smile at the younger girl, **"Yes Kennedy?"**

Kennedy was a little nervous, not knowing if she would get blamed for what she was about to say and hoping she could convey it wasn't her fault. No one had told her about it until this morning. **"Um, apparently there's a visitor here to see you. He says he's the winner of the studio's contest to meet you."**

JJ frowned for a moment then remembered the contest that the studio had started a month before her stalker problems became bad enough to require a bodyguard. **"Oh right. Yes…well um…can you set him up in the extras room for a bit while I get settled in?"**

Kennedy nodded, grateful she wasn't being blamed for the last minute change in the day. **"Yes Miss Jareau. Just call for me when you're ready and I'll take you down there."**

**"Thank you Kennedy."**

With that, Kennedy left and JJ entered her dressing room with Emily, Ziva stayed outside the door as was her usual routine.

JJ turned to Emily as soon as the door closed, **"Contest winner?"**

Emily grinned, **"It actually worked out perfectly. The contest was already active before we came on the scene so it wouldn't look suspicious if all of a sudden you had a contest to meet you. This was the studio's contest, we just hijacked it. Not to worry though, the real winner will get to meet you just…not today. Today it will be Reid as the contest winner."**

JJ thought about that and nodded, it was actually pretty brilliant. **"Okay, so…FBI Special Agent Spencer Reid is going to play the part of my 'biggest fan' who won a contest to meet me and…what's going to happen Emily?"**

Emily sighed as she realized she hadn't shared the final details with Jennifer yet. It was time to reveal her whole plan. Emily took a seat across from Jennifer who was sitting on the small couch and she said, **"The plan is simple. Reid is being your biggest fan. In his excitement to meet you, he's going to come on a bit…aggressively. He's going to get close and make it look like he's a threat. At that point, Ziva will step forward and put him on the ground, subduing the 'threat'. Once that happens, it's your cue to get angry with Ziva and with me as well since I won't do anything to stop her and in fact I'll be pulling you away from the two of them. In your anger, you will loudly and convincingly fire the both of us. We'll try to convince you to change your mind but you won't waver. Then, defeated, we will walk away and Reid will stay behind. You have to apologize to him for us and be extra sweet to him. We're hoping that your stalker will see you being flirty and sweet with another man, without your bodyguards around to stop him, and he'll be too jealous to think clearly and he'll make his move. When he does, he'll attack Reid, thinking he's an easy target. Reid will take the dive. When your stalker advances on you and tries to get you to leave with him, you have to let him get you outside of the studio. Once he does, we'll swoop in and arrest him. Sound good?"**

JJ took a moment to think about Emily's plan. She had only been told about having to fire Emily and Ziva not about the rest of it. She had to admit the plan seemed perfect. **"What if he doesn't try to take me out of the studio?"**

**"He will. After attacking Reid, he'll want to be far away, seeing you without bodyguards as being unprotected he'll want to whisk you away before you come to your senses and call us back or something." **Emily looked into Jennifer's eyes, **"Nothing will go wrong Jennifer, I promise you this nightmare will end today."**

JJ nodded, trusting Emily to keep her safe. **"Okay…let's do this then. Where?"**

**"The main stage I think. The bullpen set should be perfect, there's an open space in the middle where Ziva can put Reid down without hurting him."**

**"Okay. Should I call Kennedy and have Reid brought to the set?"**

Emily nodded, **"Yeah, that would be better than you meeting him in the extras room and having to find a reason to bring him to the main set."**

JJ walked over to the in-studio phone on her wall and dialed Kennedy's extension. When the girl answered, JJ asked her to bring the contest winner to the bullpen set, she wanted to give him a thrill by meeting him on the set of the show. Kennedy agreed and JJ hung up.

She took a deep breath before she headed for the door and the performance of her life.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, William LaMontagne Jr. was sitting in the backseat of an LAPD cruiser, handcuffed and waiting transport to the local precinct to be booked on assault (for attacking Reid) and attempted kidnapping (for taking JJ outside of the studio with the intention of kidnapping her). Emily knew that after he was in custody, Oracle and Gatekeeper would be able to provide her with enough evidence linking LaMontagne to the stalker that JJ's manager, Aaron Hotchner, had successfully documented for the police. Emily would then have Rossi add on the official federal charge of stalking to the charges.<p>

Emily stood next to Jennifer as she stared at the cop car. Seeing the man in the back seat now, JJ was trying to remember where they crossed paths but she was coming up empty. She turned to Emily then, **"So it's over?"**

Emily smiled down at Jennifer, **"It's over. He'll go to prison for a very long time and you won't have to ever worry about him again. If there's a trial, you will have to testify but I'm pretty sure he'll cut a deal. Even with a deal though, he won't get less than 15 years for the kidnapping and stalking and assault." **Emily paused to take a deep breath, **"You can move on with your life now Miss Jareau. It's been a pleasure knowing you."**

Emily forced herself to walk away then, knowing Jennifer was safe and that her job was done. She was the last one left at the studio, her entire team had gone back to the office to write up their reports on the case and to also prepare their statements for the local police to ensure LaMontagne would spend the maximum time in prison the law would allow.

The FBI team had gone to the local precinct to help finish processing the suspect. Emily watched as the cruiser pulled away and left with LaMontagne. Emily made it to her car when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Jennifer standing there.

**"Um…can I get a ride home? You drove me here this morning, remember?" **JJ grinned, hoping for just a little while longer with Emily before she walked out of her life. JJ was still determined to seduce Emily but now that it was time, she needed to formulate a plan of her own.

Emily nodded, **"Of course Miss Jareau. Hop in."**

JJ got into the car and put on her seatbelt. She sat quietly in the passenger seat as Emily drove confidently and quietly through the streets of L.A. towards JJ's house.

* * *

><p>Emily was torn between needing to leave and wanting to stay but she pushed her wants away and forced herself to leave JJ's house and drive away after she dropped the actress off.<p>

Emily drove through the gates and left the posh but quiet neighborhood behind as she drove the Safe Haven offices. She still had a ton of paperwork to do before she could close the book on this case and she was determined to make sure nothing went wrong with putting LaMontagne in jail for a very long time.

* * *

><p>A month went by and Carrie could no longer deny that something was wrong with her sister. Her stalker had cut a deal and gotten 25 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.<p>

Carrie watched as JJ went on with her life, going to work every day and coming home to be with her and Henry but…there was something off about her. Her smile was a little dimmer than usual and Carrie would sometimes find her sister standing in the living room just staring at the couch, with a sad, longing look in her eyes.

Finally, Carrie couldn't stand it any longer and she confronted JJ about it after Henry had gone to bed. Carrie stopped JJ in the kitchen as she was loading the dishwasher, **"So, you want to tell me what's been going on with you lately?"**

JJ's grip faltered briefly on a plate she was about to place in the dishwasher but she recovered and looked up at her little sister, **"What are you talking about? There's nothing going on with me Carrie."**

Carrie wasn't buying that, **"Oh really? So this moping around you've been doing…that's all in my head?"**

**"It must be because I haven't been moping around." **JJ denied, not in the mood to tell her little sister that she was heartbroken over losing Emily. Which was ridiculous because she had never really had her in the first place. Emily had never made any promises she hadn't kept when she'd had her stalker arrested. All Emily had ever promised her was to protect her and her son from the man who was stalking her. She had done that, and JJ only had herself to blame for all the fantasies she'd weaved around Emily.

She had imagined the dark haired woman showing up on her doorstep after the dust had settled and confessing to feeling the same desire and emotions that JJ felt for her. But with each day that had passed without Emily showing up, JJ had grown more despondent. She had wanted to make the first move and win Emily's heart but, she didn't know how to find Emily. She'd never learned where the Safe Haven offices were much less where Emily actually lived. None of her contacts in the business had ever even heard of Safe Haven or Emily…or that's what they had said at any rate. JJ knew they weren't admitting to needing a bodyguard like Emily, not wanting to be fodder for the tabloids if it ever got out.

So JJ had been forced to wait for Emily to make the first move and it was driving her insane with longing.

Carrie watched her sister for a few more moments before she nodded to herself. **"Okay, well if that's the story you're going with I guess there's not much else I can do." **Carrie turned to leave the kitchen then she turned back and said, **"Oh, wait, there is one thing. I can give you this. What you do with it is up to you."** Carrie reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She placed it on the counter between them, making sure JJ saw it, then she turned to leave, **"Good night JJ." ** Carrie was halfway up the stairs when she whispered, **"and good luck."**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope you weren't disappointed by not getting to read the action as it happened but I am not good at writing that stuff, (the action and Ziva taking down Reid and stuff) so I described it and it pretty much went as planned. The next chapter will deal with the fallout of that day as well as what Emily did for that month that I skipped over. And we find out what that paper Carrie gave JJ was all about. No promises on when but hopefully soon. <strong>


	11. Sometimes You Need a Little Push

**AN: Two updates in two days? Wow, my muse is being generous. I hope I did a good job explaining why Emily didn't call JJ in that month that went by. By the way, the night Ziva visits Emily is the same night that Carrie confronts JJ. Just so everyone knows the timeline. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 10<span>**

In the week that followed the arrest and sentencing of William LaMontagne Jr, Emily was so busy with paperwork and making sure nothing was missed that she didn't have time to think about a certain blonde actress and how, now that the case was closed, there was nothing to stop her from acting on her feelings for said blonde actress.

Once the dust settled and life went back to the semi-predictable routine that it had been before the Jareau case, Emily would sit at her desk in the Safe Haven bullpen and wonder what Jennifer was doing. She knew it was pointless to think about the blonde this way when she wasn't even sure if Jennifer was gay or not. Sure there'd been rumors around Hollywood about her and yes, there'd been moments during their time together where it certainly seemed as if Jennifer might be interested in her. But Emily had to remember that Jennifer had a son…which usually meant that she was straight so Emily wasn't about to get her hopes up.

So she spent the month since the case acting like a grumpy bear with a thorn in its paw because she had never been this indecisive. Usually, when she saw something or someone she wanted, she went after it and damn the consequences. Why was she hesitating now?

But Emily knew why…it was because of Jennifer's son, Henry. Emily wasn't great with kids but she could get along with them as long as it was short term. She was hesitating because she knew she wanted something real and long term with Jennifer if she could have it. But that meant that eventually, she would have to gain Henry's approval and she wasn't sure she would measure up in the little boy's eyes.

So, Emily sat on her hands and waited, hoping that Jennifer would make the first move. The waiting, was making Emily a very grumpy, temperamental boss to work for and her whole team was feeling the tension. Luckily, Derek's team had landed a job finding a blackmailer who was threatening the daughter of a Fortune 500 CEO so they weren't around Emily as much as her own team was.

After a few weeks, they'd had enough and had 'volunteered' Ziva to find out what was wrong with Emily before they all lost their minds.

* * *

><p>Emily was at home, it was just after sunset, and she was watching a DVD of <em>City of Angels<em> when there was a knock on her door. Curious, because she hadn't been expecting anyone, she hit the pause button on the DVD player then went to see who was knocking on her door at this hour.

Emily smiled when she saw her old friend Ziva and she opened the door, **"Ziva, what are you doing here?"**

Ziva smiled at her friend and boss, **"May I come in?"**

Emily stepped aside and opened the door a bit wider, **"Of course, come on in."**

Ziva stepped inside and walked over to Emily's couch. She sat down and noticed the TV was paused episode of Jennifer Jareau's show. Ziva nodded to herself, then turned to look at Emily who had closed the door and sat down next to her.

**"So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" **Emily asked, curious because Ziva never came over without calling first.

Ziva studied her friend for a moment then, **"I need you to tell me what's going on with you."**

**"What are you talking about? There's nothing going on with me."**

**"Come on Emily. It's me, Ziva. I know there is something wrong with you and it is about time you came clean and told me. Before I have to get creative." **Ziva arched an eyebrow, letting Emily know she wouldn't like Ziva's 'creativity' when it came to finding out information.

Emily thought about that for a moment before she realized that she didn't have a choice here, Ziva wasn't going to leave her alone until she got the answers she came for. Emily sighed, **"Well, you're going to have to be a bit more specific then."**

Ziva nodded, **"Very well." **Ziva's eyes slipped over to the TV again and saw Jennifer Jareau's face smiling back at her so she nodded to the screen, **"Does it have anything to do with…her?"**

Emily turned towards the TV see Jennifer smiling at one of her costars. She sighed, then whispered, **"Yeah."**

Ziva took a moment to think about Emily's response and she realized her friend was seriously smitten with the blonde actress. **"So, why haven't you contacted her?"**

Emily's shoulders slumped as she sat back in the couch, **"What would be the point Z? She's straight and even if she wasn't, she wouldn't want me."**

**"Why wouldn't she want you Emily?"** Ziva wasn't about to tell Emily yet that she knew for a fact Jennifer Jareau was not only gay but definitely interested in her until she got to the real reason why Emily hadn't made her move yet.

Emily just shook her head, **"I have nothing to offer her Z. She's a famous actress, I'm just a bodyguard. A former FBI agent who lost her nerve and ended up as a glorified babysitter. She deserves better Z."**

Ziva shook her head, not believing what she was hearing from her usually confident friend. **"First of all, Emily Elizabeth Prentiss, you are not a glorified babysitter. You are so much more than that. Yes, you lost your nerve as you say, but considering what you went through, anyone else would get as far away from law enforcement or criminals as they can, but not you. You put your skills as a profiler to good use and you help people that the cops can't or won't. As for what you have to offer her, something tells me Miss Jareau isn't interested in material things. All she needs from you is honesty, trust and love. Everything else will work itself out."**

Emily thought about what Ziva was saying and she had to admit it made sense but there was still one little detail that messed this all up. **"That may all be true Z, but there's one thing you're forgetting."**

**"And what is that?"**

**"Jennifer Jareau is straight. She has a son and there's never been anything in the tabloids about her being anything else. Hell, she's never even taken a gay role onscreen."**

Ziva grinned because this was where her inside information would come in handy. **"So if she wasn't straight, you'd go for it?"**

Emily stared into space as she thought about that…and she came to one conclusion, **"Yeah. If she wasn't straight, I'd go for it. Even if she shot me down I would at least know I tried. But Z, she ****_is _****straight, I know it."** Emily was deliberately ignoring all the little flirty moments she had experienced with Jennifer, where it seemed like the blonde was trying to tell her she wanted her without coming right out and saying it.

Ziva sat back in the couch and relaxed, she knew once she told Emily the truth, it would only be a matter of time before Emily would be formulating a plan to make Jennifer Jareau hers. **"No she isn't."**

**"What are you talking about, of course she is, stop playing Z."**

**"Emily, I am being serious here. Jennifer Jareau is most definitely ****_not_**** straight."**

**"Yeah? And how do you know that?"** Emily wasn't going to let herself believe it until she had some proof. She didn't want to get her hopes up if this was just a hunch Ziva had.

Ziva smiled, **"Rain…she's been dating Carrie Jareau for three weeks now. Carrie has confirmed to Rain, in front of me, that Jennifer is a lesbian. Henry was conceived with an anonymous donor while Jennifer's wife Alexandra was still alive."** Ziva paused a moment before, **"She was killed six months after Henry was born. Carrie also confirmed just this morning, that Jennifer 'has it bad' for you and is waiting for you to make a move."**

Emily still didn't want to believe it but, she knew that Rain wouldn't lie to Ziva. The former Mossad assassin was still scary enough to keep the younger woman in line. **"If Jennifer is so into me, why is she waiting for me to make a move? Why doesn't she make a move?"**

Ziva gave her the best 'duh' look she could manage, **"Emily, are you forgetting that Safe Haven isn't on the books? She had no way of finding you. Carrie and Rain have been keeping their relationship a secret because Rain was worried that you would disapprove because she used to be Carrie's guard."**

Emily nodded at the reminder of Safe Haven's status. Legally speaking, Save Haven Securities didn't actually exist. Emily hadn't wanted to have anything that could be traced back to her, in case she picked up another serial killer stalker like the one that had killed her parents when he couldn't get to her, so she had Kevin set up Safe Haven as a subsidiary of Icarus Industrial Inc., a shell company that was listed as being owned by another non-existent corporation. Safe Haven was just that, a safe haven for Emily and for those lost souls she had taken in to work for her.

**"So…I guess it's up to me then, huh? To make the first move?"**

Ziva nodded, **"Yes it is. Only question now is, will you?"**

Emily sat quietly thinking about everything she'd found out. In the span of an hour, Emily's perspective on things had been radically changed. Now it was only a matter of gathering the courage to take that first step.

Ziva watched her friend's silent brooding for a few moments before she stood up and said goodbye, realizing Emily needed some time alone to process everything. Ziva left and locked the door behind her. She was just getting into her car when she picked up her cell phone and sent a mass text to Myka, Nick and Rain. All it said was: _mission accomplished._ Ziva grinned then started her car and drove home to Abby, confident that Emily's dark mood would soon clear up.

* * *

><p>JJ walked over to the piece of paper Carrie had left on the counter, curious. She slowly reached out for it and picked it up. She unfolded it and was even more confused when all she read was an address. JJ didn't know why Carrie had given her some random address but she knew her sister never did anything without a reason so she tucked the paper into her pocket and finished cleaning up the kitchen.<p>

Before she walked upstairs to bed, JJ made sure all the windows and doors were locked and that the alarm was activated. As she went from room to room, she was reminded of Emily doing this for the few weeks she'd been staying there. It tugged at JJ's heart to remember the look on Emily's face when JJ insisted on following her from room to room to make sure the windows were locked.

Slowly, JJ finished her sweep and walked up the stairs to do the same with the upstairs windows.

Once the house was secured for the night, JJ entered her bedroom and looked around, a little surprised to not feel the usually overwhelming sadness she would often feel in this room. It was the bedroom she had shared with Alex. She had redecorated in the years following Alex's death, but there were still little things that reminded her of her late love.

Often, JJ would stand in the middle of the room and close her eyes and it was like Alex was there with her. If she concentrated hard enough, she could remember the smell of her body wash as it wafted from the bathroom after her morning shower.

Tonight, however, JJ wasn't thinking about Alex and that alone was enough to make her realize that something was…different. As JJ looked around the room, she was hit with the knowledge that she was finally getting over Alex. Emily had been slowly taking control of JJ's thoughts and emotions.

JJ knew she would always love Alex, the beautiful blonde would always have a place in her heart and in her life, she was Henry's mother after all, but she was starting to realize that, there was a small spot in her heart that was being claimed by the dark haired bodyguard.

JJ went through her nighttime routine with very little thought behind it, her thoughts occupied with Emily and Alex and wondering if they would've gotten along if Alex was still alive today. They were similar in personalities, but Alex had always been more submissive than JJ could imagine Emily being. Still, a small part of her would've liked to have seen them meet.

JJ slipped into bed and reached for her laptop to do one last email check before bed and as the browser popped up, she was reminded of the address Carrie had given her. She quickly got up and retrieved it from the pocket of the pants she had put the paper in and climbed back into bed.

JJ called up her search engine and typed in the address but nothing was listed as being there. Curious, she called up a mapping site and typed in the address. Again, she got a big fat nothing, until she hit the button for a street view. As she panned the onscreen camera around in a circle she noticed a building in the spot where the address was located. Curious, JJ tried to zoom into the building but couldn't get close enough to read the name above the door. Still, if she squinted her eyes she could make out an 'S' and an 'H' along with smaller letters.

JJ took a moment to think about that, along with the fact Carrie had given her the address and had only said, _'what you do with it is up to you'._ Could this be…JJ glanced quickly at her door as if expecting Carrie to be standing there with confirmation. There was no one there. She looked back at the screen that showed an average, non-descript building that most people would probably walk by without even noticing.

The more JJ looked at the building on the screen, the more she was sure this was the office of Safe Haven Security. This was where Emily worked. This was exactly what JJ needed to push her towards making a move. It was one piece of the puzzle but it was an important piece.

JJ saved the web page to her bookmarks and closed the laptop, placing the paper with the address carefully on top. Tomorrow, she would act on this information, tonight she needed to rest. Tomorrow was going to be the first day of her campaign to win Emily's heart.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please don't be hating on Alexandra Wright. I had to put her in the story as a reminder that JJ has her own secret pain she lives with. As for Carrie and Rain, well...I had to hook them up because they just had this chemistry I couldn't deny (in my own head even if it didn't come across on the screen). Plus, it gives Carrie a plausible explanation for how she found Safe Haven's address. See, it works out. For anyone who didn't have a chance to check it out, the character profiles can be found at www dot freewebs dot com slash acathlasfanfics (minus the spaces) Since I am seeing the end of this story looming on the horizon, I am offering my die hard fans a chance to make a request. <strong>

**I have been wanting to write short fics about how each member of Safe Haven came to work for Emily and Derek. The character profiles provide the basics but I am offering anyone interested a chance to request a specific character's more detailed back story. So, for those interested, check out the profiles and PM me which one you want to see turned into its own mini fic. I'll take in all the requests and will post the winners in an AN on the final chapter of this story. If I pick your request, be warned, it will be up to you to keep me motivated if I slack off on the mini fic. Enjoy!**


	12. Fortune Favors the Brave

**AN: Sorry for the delay (I seem to be apologizing for delays a lot) but this one got a little lost in the shuffle. Hopefully this update was worth the wait. **

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 11 <span>**

A plain white van pulled up to the curb and the driver frowned as he double-checked the address he'd been given. Something didn't feel right about this so he sat there for a moment looking around the street he was parked on, hoping to see something that would let him know he was at the right place.

After a few minutes, he saw a black Chevy Tahoe slow down in front of him and turn into a driveway that he assumed led to the back lot of the building he was parked close to and he smiled. This was the sign he'd been waiting for, the small nondescript brick building that seemed almost abandoned, was where he needed to go.

With a smile on his face, he slipped out of the van and headed to the back doors. After a brief stop to retrieve something from the back of the van, he walked confidently to the door of the building, certain now that he was at the right place.

He knocked firmly on the steel door and waited for someone to answer.

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><p>Emily was alone at work. The rest of the Safe Haven crew was either out on assignment or not in yet, so she had some free time to just relax and think about the one thing she was trying not to think about…Jennifer Jareau.<p>

Before Emily could sink too deep into her thoughts about the beautiful blonde actress, she heard the door to the lair open. She looked up and smiled as Abby, Gatekeeper, walked into the main room. "Morning Abby, how's it going?"

Abby just smiled, "Hey boss, good so far. Derek and his team are keeping me and Oracle busy with their case. How are you?"

"No complaints here. Is Oracle back there with you or is he still out?"

"He's out, something about a dentist appointment. Why? Did you need something?"

Emily shook her head, deciding not to use her tech team for personal matters. "No, just wondering."

Abby looked at her for a few seconds before she nodded, "Okay then. I just came out to stretch my legs so I'll head back to my lair now."

Abby's exaggerated movements had Emily wondering if there was something the dark haired tech genius wasn't telling her but by the time she thought to question it, Abby was already behind the closed door that led to her lair.

Emily shrugged it off, telling herself she was reading too much into things. Before she could turn back to her paperwork, there was a knock on the outside door.

Emily frowned, confused because no one ever really knocked on the door to Safe Haven. It was so rare that it took Emily a moment to get up and answer it, one hand hovering over her sidearm just in case. Emily opened the door and spotted a man in a tan uniform standing there, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a clipboard in the other.

The man smiled at her then asked, "Emily Prentiss?"

Emily relaxed only slightly as she said, "Yes."

The man smiled and handed Emily the clipboard, "These are for you, sign here please?"

Emily reached for the clipboard and signed on the line the man indicated. She handed him the clipboard and he handed her the bouquet. Emily thanked him and took the flowers from him then closed the door as the man left. She turned slowly and walked to her desk, curious as to who would send her flowers.

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><p>From inside her lair, Abby grinned as she stared at the monitor to her right which was currently showing Emily and her flower delivery. Still smiling, she turned to her companion and offered up a fist, chuckling a little when she felt a fist lightly tap her own. "Phase one is complete."<p>

Her companion smiled, "Let's just hope it wasn't in vain. It would suck to get this far, only to have Emily muck things up with her usual…caution."

Abby nodded, "'Caution'? I like that, it's nicer than saying her chicken shit knee jerk reaction."

Abby pretended to wince when she felt a hand lightly smack her arm. "Careful, that's our boss Abby."

"I know, but I can't help it Rain. She just frustrates me when she denies herself something that could make her happy just because she doesn't think she deserves to be happy, you know what I mean?"

Rain just nodded, knowing exactly what Abby was talking about when it came to Emily. She just hoped that this time, with the help of her friends, Emily sees the light and makes the right choice…to risk it all for a chance at real love. "Oh I know all too well. Well, here's to Phase 2."

Rain held up her mug filled with tea and tapped it against Abby's plastic cup of Caff-Pow.

"To Phase 2."

* * *

><p>Emily walked over to her desk and set the flowers down, searching for a card among the multi-hued arrangement. She carefully plucked the small white envelope from the bouquet and carefully removed the note from inside. When she read what was printed on the card, she couldn't stop the smile that crept onto her face.<p>

_'Roses are red, Violets are blue, don't look now but I found you.' This is my way of saying I like you…your move Emily…I'll be waiting. –Jennifer _

Emily stood there, thinking about what her move should be. This was a bold move and it deserved an equally bold counter move but what? Emily was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't even hear the door opening and two people walking in until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around, startled and then relaxed when she saw it was just Ziva and Myka.

"Hey boss, why so jumpy?" Myka asked, amusement in her voice.

Emily just shook her head, "I'm not jumpy, you just startled me that's all."

"Uh huh." The sarcasm in her voice was obvious even as Myka nodded and walked over to her desk.

Ziva just grinned at the interaction, "Good morning Emily. Sleep well?"

Emily blushed against her will, "Slept fine Z. Abby's in the back if you wanna go say hi."

Anything to get Ziva away from her for a few moments. Emily wasn't in the mood for Ziva's prodding about her situation with Jennifer. She had enough to think about with the note.

Ziva grinned and nodded as she walked towards the door that led to the hallway that led to the lair. "Be back in a few minutes." Ziva slipped through the door and Emily let out a sigh of relief.

Myka watched the action quietly, her mind soon drifting back to Helena and their morning together.

* * *

><p>JJ was sitting on her couch, a rare day off for her, with her laptop on her lap, the browser opened to the web page for the florist. She had paid extra for real-time tracking so she could know the moment Emily signed for the flowers she had sent her.<p>

JJ couldn't wait to see what Emily would do now. JJ was not used to waiting for someone else to take the lead, she was used to taking the initiative and being in control but now…she had to wait on Emily, and it was slowly driving her crazy.

JJ was about to get up and start pacing when she heard a beep from her computer. She checked it and smiled when she saw that the delivery driver had logged in Emily's signature. Emily had her flowers and had most likely already read the card. JJ checked the time and mentally tried to calculate how long it would take for her to hear from the dark haired beauty.

* * *

><p>Emily sat at her desk silently thinking about what her next move should be, fully aware of both Myka and Ziva sitting at their desks watching her. When Ziva had come back from the lair, she had informed Emily that Rain was back there with Abby, supposedly learning something about computers from Abby.<p>

Emily picked up the card that came with the flowers again and re-read it. She smiled again at the playful nature of the note as well as the boldness of Jennifer's move. Something this big and bold deserved an equally bold move. Emily grinned as an idea formed in her mind. It would take some extra effort but in the end it would be totally worth it. Emily leaned back in her chair, still smiling as she mentally mapped out her plan to woo Jennifer Jareau.

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><p><strong>AN: Hmmm...what will Emily's move be? All guesses are welcomed but I won't confirm nor deny anything until the next chapter is posted...which should be sooner than 7 months I hope. Until the next update for this story, there will be updates for my other stories as well. Enjoy!<strong>


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